The effect of colostrum on pigs pre-natally or post-natally exposed to Schistosoma japonicum.

Abstract

Pre-natal infection of Schistosoma japonicum in pigs may prove to be a useful model in shedding light on human pre-natal schistosomiasis. This study describes the effects of immune colostrum on worm burdens, tissue egg counts, liver pathology and crude worm or egg antigen-specific IgG and IgA responses, in groups of pigs pre-natally, pre-natally + post-natally or post-natally exposed to S. japonicum. Results suggest that pre-natal exposure and immune colostrum did not affect the establishment of a post-natal challenge infection. However, immune colostrum seemed to increase the levels of septal fibrosis in pre-natally exposed pigs. These findings indicate that further investigations will prove valuable, elucidating the influence of the parasitological and immunological status of the sow, on pre-natally exposed pigs, and on the ability of these pigs to develop resistance against S. japonicum later in life.