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Changes of immunophysiological characteristics in neonatal calves experimentally challenged with mixture of live bacteria and virus

M. H. Kim^*, C. H. Yun^*, J. Y. Ko, J. S. Kang^*, H. S. Kim, S. J. Kang, W. S. Lee, J. H. Kim and J. K. Ha^*,1

^* Department of Agricultural Biotechnology and Research Institute for Agriculture and Life Sciences, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-742, Republic of Korea
Nonghyup Feed Inc., Seoul 451, Republic of Korea
Dairy Science Division, National Institute of Animal Science, Cheonan 330-801, Republic of Korea

¹ Corresponding author: jongha{at}snu.ac.kr

The aim of the present study was to define efficient immunophysiological parameters in neonatal Holstein calves with an experimentally induced microbial infection. Calves (n = 15) were challenged with classical swine fever virus (LOM strain) and Erysipelothrix insidiosa live vaccine by intravenous injection at 3 wk of age except for control calves (n = 4). The level of total serum IgA was significantly increased at 14 and 19 d post-experimental challenge (DPEC) compared with that in calves at –2 DPEC. At 5 DPEC, relative amounts of bacterial- and viral-specific IgA increased significantly and were sustained until 26 DPEC. In the hematology assay, the neutrophil:lymphocyte ratio (%) in whole blood was significantly decreased at 14 DPEC because of a significant increase in lymphocytes and a coincident decrease in neutrophils. The percentages of CD4⁺ and CD25⁺ T cells were significantly decreased at 14 DPEC and returned to initial levels at 19 DPEC. It is intriguing to note that the level of serum lactoferrin was significantly decreased by the microbial challenge within 1 d. The concentration of haptoglobin was increased within 3 d and gradually decreased in calves after microbial challenge. Our results suggest that 1) bovine serum lactoferrin plays an important role in the innate immune response against microbial infection at an early stage and 2) experimentally induced microbial challenge using porcine live bacterial and viral vaccine in calves could be a good experimental model to evaluate the effect of diet or stress induced by environmental change on the immune responses against microbial infection.

Key Words: neonatal calf • experimental model • lactoferrin • microbial infection