Dietary cinnamaldehyde enhances acquisition of specific antibodies following helminth infection in pigs.

Dietary phytonutrients such as cinnamaldehyde (CA) may contribute to immune function during pathogen infections, and CA has been reported to have positive effects on gut health when used as feed additive for livestock. Here, we investigated whether CA could enhance antibody production and specific immune responses during infection with an enteric pathogen. We examined the effect of dietary CA on plasma antibody levels in parasite-naïve pigs, and subsequently acquisition of humoral immune responses during infection with the parasitic nematode Ascaris suum. Parasite-naïve pigs fed diets supplemented with CA had higher levels of total IgA and IgG in plasma, and A. suum-infected pigs fed CA had higher levels of parasite-specific IgM and IgA in plasma 14days post-infection. Moreover, dietary CA increased expression of genes encoding the B-cell marker CD19, sodium/glucose co-transporter1 (SCA5L1) and glucose transporter 2 (SLC2A2) in the jejunal mucosa of A.suum-infected pigs. Dietary CA induced only limited changes in the composition of the prokaryotic gut microbiota of A. suum-infected pigs, and in vitro experiments showed that CA did not directly induce proliferation or increase secretion of IgG and IgA from lymphocytes. Our results demonstrate that dietary CA can significantly enhance acquisition of specific immune responses in pigs. The underlying mechanism remains obscure, but apparently does not derive simply from direct contact between CA and host lymphocytes and appears to be independent of the gut microbiota.

Anthelmintic effects of phytogenic feed additives in Ascaris suum inoculated pigs.

Two experiments were performed to determine the anthelmintic effect of some phytogenic feed additives on a mild infection of Ascaris suum in growing and finishing pigs. Usually, an infection of A. suum is controlled by using conventional synthetic drugs. Organic farmers, however, prefer a non-pharmaceutical approach to worm control. Therefore, phytotherapy could be an appropriate alternative. In the first experiment, a commercial available organic starter diet was supplemented with 3% of a herb mixture, adding 1% Thymus vulgaris, 1% Melissa officinalis and 1% Echinacea purpurea to the diet, or with 4% of a herb mixture, thereby adding the mentioned herbs plus 1% Camellia sinensis (black tea). A negative control group (no treatment) and a positive control group (treatment with conventional synthetic drug flubendazole) were included. In the second experiment, the anthelmintic properties against A. suum of three individual herbs, Carica papaya, Peumus boldus and Artemisia vulgaris, each in a dose of 1%, were tested. Pigs were infected with 1000 infective worm eggs each. Each experiment was performed with 32 individually housed growing pigs (8 replicates/treatment), which were monitored for 67 days. It was hypothesized that the herbs would block the cycles of the larvae, thereby preventing the development of adult worms. Therefore, phytogenic feed additives were not supplied during the whole experimental period, but only from the start until D39. Pigs were inoculated with infective worm eggs during five consecutive days (D17-D21). At D67 all pigs were dissected, whereafter livers were checked for the presence of white spots. Also numbers of worms in the small intestine were counted. In experiment 1, the numbers of worm-infected pigs were similar for both the herb supplemented (groups 3 and 4) and the unsupplemented (group 1) treatments (5-6 pigs of 8), while the treatment with flubendazole (group 2) resulted in 0 infected pigs. In experiment 2, herb addition (groups 2-4) did not significantly reduce the number of worm-infected pigs compared to the negative control (group 1). It can be concluded that the tested herb mixtures and individual herbs in the diets of growing and finishing pigs did not decrease the number of pigs which were infected with A. suum, although the herb mixture without black tea and also boldo leaf slightly (P<0.10) reduced the number of worms in the intestinal tract. The tested herb mixtures and individual herbs did not affect the performance of the pigs.

Pharmacotherapy of ascariasis.

Ascaris lumbricoides, the most frequent human intestinal nematode, is the causative agent of ascariasis, with an estimated worldwide prevalence of over one billion people, especially in moist tropical and subtropical regions, but also in cooler climates. Although characterised with low morbidity and mortality rates, the global prevalence of ascariasis still results in approximately 20,000 deaths annually, primarily as a consequence of intestinal obstruction. In humans, transmission usually occurs by hand-to-mouth route by way of contaminated agricultural products and food, or from dirty hands. Three phases of ascariasis may be present, namely, the pulmonary, intestinal and the complications stage. Although generally asymptomatic, heavy infestation may cause serious pulmonary disease, or partial or complete obstruction of biliary or intestinal tracts. Anthelminthic chemotherapy is required to eradicate the parasites and prevent potentially serious complications. Mebendazole, albendazole and pyrantel pamoate are the most widely used agents to treat ascariasis. Preventive chemotherapy delivered to communities in endemic regions may serve as an affordable and cost-effective strategy to reduce the prevalence and morbidity in endemic regions. Under unusual circumstances, Ascaris suum, the cause of helminthic infection in pigs, may also cause disease in humans.

Effect of papaya latex against Ascaris suum in naturally infected pigs.

An experiment was carried out to investigate the anthelmintic activity of papaya latex (Carica papaya) against natural infection of Ascaris suum in pigs. Sixteen naturally infected pigs were, on the basis of faecal egg counts and body weight, allocated into four groups, each of four pigs. Three groups (groups B, C, and D) were given papaya latex per os at dose levels of 2, 4, and 8 g of papaya latex per kg body weight, respectively. The fourth group (group A) served as a non-treated control. Results of post mortem counts on day 7 post treatment revealed worm count reductions of 39.5, 80.1 and 100% in groups B, C, and D, respectively. Some of the pigs receiving the highest dose of the latex showed mild diarrhoea on the day following treatment. Otherwise, no clinical or pathological changes were observed in the treated animals. The possible future use of this traditional herbal medicine for livestock and humans is discussed.

Immunorestorative effect of glucan immunomodulator on guinea pigs with experimental ascariosis.

The immunorestorative effect of glucan immunomodulator, combined with porcine immunoglobulin and zinc (GI) on T- and B-lymphocytes and peritoneal macrophage phagocytic ability was studied in guinea pigs with experimental ascariosis (Ascaris suum) after a cyclophosphamide (CY)-evoked immunosuppression. During the migration phase of A. suum infection GI exerted a significant restorative effect on the CY-reduced percentage occurrence of T- and B-cell populations in the mesenteric, mediastinal and hepatic lymph nodes and spleen of A. suum hosts. On the contrary, it did not influence the CY-suppressed phagocytic activity and index of phagocytic activity of the peritoneal macrophages. The protective effect of the GI evaluated by the reduction in the number of migrating ascarid larvae in the lungs of guinea pigs after immunosuppression with CY and administration of GI was 14.46% higher, compared with the suppressed and infected group without administration of GI.

[Experiences with ivermectin in exotic animals: scabies in camelids (Camelus bactrianus, Lama guanicoe, L. glama) and scabies and roundworms in bears (Thalarctos maritimus and Ursus arctos)]. / Erfahrungen mit Ivermectin bei exotischen Tieren: Räude bei Kameliden (Camelus bactrianus, Lama guanicoe, L. glama) sowie Räude und Spulwurmbefall bei Bären (Thalarctos maritimus und Ursus arctos).

For the control of scabies in tylopodes (L. bactrianus, L. guanicoe, L. glama) and brown bears 0.2 mg/kg body weight (1 ml/50 kg body weight) of Ivermectin subcutaneously injected proved to be remedy of choice. In Kodiak-bears the oral application of Ivomec-solution was effective against ascariasis, not, however, in polar bears. Sufficient effect was reached only once, whereas Equalan-paste proved to be highly effective. Despite of strong hygienic measures continous follow-up treatment for the prevention of re-invasion is indispensible.

[Influence of the migration of Ascaris suum larvae on blood parameters in the pig]. / Einfluss der Wanderung von Ascaris suum-Larven auf die Blutmesswerte beim Schwein.

Biochemical and hematological blood parameters were investigated in pigs experimentally infected with Ascaris suum. The most marked changes were recorded on day 5-8 post inoculation, during fever. In this period there was a marked decrease of concentrations of albumin, iron, thyroxin, A and E vitamins in blood serum, while compared with the control group the contents of A vitamin in liver did not change. Further, the concentrations of nonesterified fatty acid increased, as well as those of inorganic phosphorus and 11-hydroxycorticosteroids. Till day 13 PI the decrease of albumin and iron concentrations intensified and a recession of cholesterol serum binding capacity for iron was also recorded. Our results suggest that the acute phase of pig ascariasis is accompanied by changes in the host metabolism, generally corresponding to findings in fever states of different aetiology.

[The effect of acupuncture on hematologic and biochemical values in dogs with endoparasitic infections]. / Vliv akupunktury na hematologické a biochemické hodnoty psu s endoparazitární invazí.

Selected hematological and biochemical indicators in blood were studied in seven dogs for 57 days. Six dogs were exposed to long-term, pre-experimental, natural invasion of the endoparasite Trichuris vulpis, one dog to Toxascaris leonina. In both cases the invasion of parasites was only weak, without any clinical symptoms. Acupuncture was performed on the first to fourth experimental days by steel acupuncture needles used in human medicine by introducing them into Gv-14, ST-36 and SP-6 points for twenty minutes. The results were evaluated statistically and compared with the samples taken from individual animals prior to acupuncture application. The changes in blood serum protein fractions in six dogs suffering from trichuriasis were compared with the control group of animals invaded in a similar way and with physiological standard. The results confirmed a statistically highly significant difference in the values of blood sedimentation (increase at four samplings from the 9th to 38th experimental days). At two samplings performed on the 35th and 57th experimental days a statistically highly significant difference was observed in the dogs suffering from trichuriasis as compared with the control group: in the relative values of globulin beta-fraction (increase), globulin gamma-fraction (decrease) and albumin (decrease) of the blood serum. In these dogs the A/G quotient decreased statistically highly significantly. There were no substantial changes in the level of total protein during the experiment, however, there was a trend of eosinophilia. These findings suggest the activation of the immunity system, but the invasion of Trichuris vulpis was not markedly influenced. The above-mentioned changes in blood values were not observed in the dog invaded with Toxascaris leonina, the parasite invasion remained at the pre-experimental level. No marked changes of the long-term duration were observed in the values of the other hematological and biochemical tests in any of the experimental animals. The control group consisting of four dogs without endoparasitic invasion, clinically in good condition, was also subjected to acupuncture at Gv-14, ST-36, SP-6 points. In the course of this study, the originally lower values of hemoglobin, hematocrit, erythrocyte number, leucocyte number and number of the segmented neutrophilic granulocytes increased and reached the physiological standard. Towards the end of this experiment all values of hematological and biochemical blood examinations were similar like those of the experimental group.