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ARS Home » Plains Area » College Station, Texas » Southern Plains Agricultural Research Center » Food and Feed Safety Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #203289
Title: Use of toll-like receptor agonists to reduce Salmonella colonization in neonatal swine

Author
item Genovese, Kenneth - Ken
item He, Louis
item Nisbet, David
item Kogut, Michael - Mike

Submitted to: Safepork
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/17/2006
Publication Date: 5/2/2007
Citation: Genovese, K.J., He, H., Nisbet, D.J., Kogut, M.H. 2007. Use of toll-like receptor agonists to reduce Salmonella colonization in neonatal swine. In: Proceedings of 7th International Safepork Symposium, May 9-11, 2007, Verona, Italy. p. 244-247.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Toll-like receptors (TLR) are members of a highly conserved group of receptors which recognize conserved molecular aspects of microbes. The purpose of these experiments were to ascertain the effects of the administration of the TLR 9 agonist, CpG, on the colonization of neonatal swine with Salmonella. Piglets were treated within 24 hr after birth (Day 0) with CpG via oral gavage. On day 5 post-treatment, piglets were challenged with Salmonella orally. Daily rectal swabs were taken until day 10 post-treatment. On day 10, piglets were euthanized and gut contents and tissues were cultured for the presence of Salmonella. Piglets in the CpG group had a one log reduction of Salmonella in cecal and colon contents, and no Salmonella was detected in rectal contents in this group compared with Salmonella infected control pigs. Rectal swabs showed a reduction in fecal shedding of Salmonella on days 7-10 in CpG treated pigs. No Salmonella was detected in any pigs treated with CpG in the spleen or rectum. Reductions in the number of pigs positive for Salmonella were found in the lymph nodes, colon and cecum. The data show that CpG may be an effective tool in reducing Salmonella colonization and shedding in neonatal pigs and supports previous data in weaned pigs where CpG had similar effects on Salmonella colonization.