Serological lessons from the bovine lungworm Dictyocaulus viviparus: antibody titre development is independent of the infection dose and reinfection shortens seropositivity

Strube, C., Springer, A., Schunn, A.-M. and Forbes, A. B. (2017) Serological lessons from the bovine lungworm Dictyocaulus viviparus: antibody titre development is independent of the infection dose and reinfection shortens seropositivity. Veterinary Parasitology, 242, pp. 47-53. (doi: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2017.05.023) (PMID:28606324)

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Abstract

Infections with the bovine lungworm Dictyocaulus viviparus, the causative agent of parasitic bronchitis, are accompanied by substantial economic losses due to impacts on production, clinical respiratory disease or even death of diseased cattle. To detect lungworm antibodies in cattle, an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) based on recombinant major sperm protein (MSP) has been developed. However, it remained unknown whether the infection dose influences antibody levels, and how acquired immunity influences antibody level patterns during reinfections. The latter may lead to low within-herd seroprevalence and thus to negative MSP-ELISA results in examination of bulk tank milk (BTM). Thus, infection experiments with 12 different doses ranging from 10 to 3000 D. viviparus larvae were performed to assess whether the antibody response is dose-dependent. Second, the impact of reinfections on the antibody response was evaluated in infection experiments, and third, antibody patterns in dairy cows during naturally occurring reinfections were assessed in a longitudinal field study based on individual milk samples. Results of this study demonstrate that the rise in MSP antibodies during first infection is dose-independent at infection doses of 25 lungworm larvae and above. However, following reinfections the magnitude and duration of the MSP antibody response are reduced or lacking, depending on the interval to reinfection. The field study revealed short periods of seropositivity as a common pattern in dairy cows subjected to natural D. viviparus reinfections. Low within-herd seroprevalence in dairy herds can thus be a result of continuous reinfections. Low infection doses should not be a barrier to serodiagnosis of lungworm infection in first-time infected cattle.

Item Type:Articles
Keywords:Antibody level, antibody titre, BTM ELISA, bovine lungworm, Dictyocaulus, ELISA, infection dose, milk ELISA, reinfection.
Status:Published
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:Forbes, Dr Andrew
Authors: Strube, C., Springer, A., Schunn, A.-M., and Forbes, A. B.
College/School:College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Biodiversity, One Health & Veterinary Medicine
Journal Name:Veterinary Parasitology
Publisher:Elsevier
ISSN:0304-4017
ISSN (Online):1873-2550
Published Online:25 May 2017

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