Evaluation of procholeragenoid against experimental colibacillosis in piglets of vaccinated dams

A toxoid prepared from the toxin of Vibrio cholera was adjuvanted with aluminium hydroxide and used for immunisation of pregnant gilts. Litters of these and of non-vaccinates were experimentally challenged with Escherichia coli producing either heat labile and heat stable (LT and ST) enterotoxins or ST enterotoxin only. Both the challenge strains of E coli produced high rates of mortality (64 and 68 per cent) and morbidity (80 and 100 per cent) in litters of non-vaccinated dams. Statistically highly significant protection against the LT/ST enterotoxin producing strain of E coli was obtained accompanied by the absence of colonisation of the small intestine by the pathogen. No protection against the ST enterotoxin producing strain was found. It is suggested that this vaccine would not confer passive protection to piglets against K99 and 987-positive E coli which usually produce ST enterotoxin only.