Progression of Lawsonia intracellularis infection and mucosa immune response in pigs

摘要

Porcine proliferative enteropathy (PE) is an intestinal infectious disease characterized by thickening of the aboral small intestinal mucosa due to enterocyte proliferation associated with the presence of an intracellular bacterium, Lawsonia intracellularis. The two major clinical aspects of PE in pigs are acute hemorrhagic diarrhea and sudden death of replacement animals and finishing pigs close to be marketed, known as proliferative hemorrhagic enteropathy; and chronic mild diarrhea and reduced performance in grow-finishing pigs, known as porcine intestinal adenomatosis. The disease has been recognized in all major swine industries throughout the world. A better understanding of the progression and timing of Lawsonia intracellularis infection in pigs is essential to improve methods of control and prevention of PE. There is no information about specific mucosal immune response in pigs infected with this bacterium. As a result, the purpose of this study was to follow the progression of gross and histologic lesions in association with the presence of the bacterium L. intracellularis through the course of the disease and evaluate the production of mucosal secretory IgA specific against the bacteria.