Application of a sIgA-ELISA method for differentiation of Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae infected from vaccinated pigs

In order to evaluate the sIgA-ELISA method reported previously for differentiating Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae (M. hyopneumoniae) infected from vaccinated pigs, dynamics of anti-M. hyopneumoniae secretory IgA (sIgA) antibody secretion in nasal mucus and IgG antibodies in serum from 10 pigs experimentally infected with M. hyopneumoniae or vaccinated with an inactivated vaccine were examined using sIgA-ELISA and a commercial M. hyopneumoniae antibody detection kit (IgG-ELISA), respectively. In addition, nasal swabs and serum samples from 2368 pigs of different ages originating from 10 pig farms with different M. hyopneumoniae infection and vaccination status were examined using the two ELISA. In the experimental model, anti-M. hyopneumoniae IgG antibodies were detected in both, the challenge group and the vaccine group. Anti-M. hyopneumoniae sIgA antibodies were detected in the challenge group from 7 days post challenge onwards, but not in the vaccine group. According to the data obtained from pig farms maintaining administration of inactivated vaccine, the prevalence of anti-M. hyopneumoniae sIgA antibody positive pigs was significantly lower than that of IgG antibody positive pigs. In non-vaccinating herds, the prevalence of sIgA antibodies was correlated with the severity of clinical symptoms typical for porcine enzootic pneumonia. In all suckling pigs, no matter vaccinated or not, the prevalence of anti-M. hyopneumoniae sIgA antibody positives was significantly lower than that of IgG antibody positives. These results prove that the sIgA-ELISA is a valuable method enabling the surveillance of M. hyopneumoniae infections in pig herds without interference due to maternally derived antibodies or antibodies induced by administration of inactivated vaccines.