Effects of zinc supplementation on virus infection in pigs

Autor*innen

• Weidong Chai

Parameter

• Lehrbücher
• Universitätslehrbücher

Mehr zum Buch

The global shift away from in-feed antibiotics has heightened the need for alternative strategies to manage infectious diseases in livestock. Research highlights the significant role of zinc (Zn) in host defense and immune responses, yet studies on its effects against viral infections in pigs are scarce. With current vaccines and therapies failing to provide adequate protection against PRRSV and TGEV infections, this thesis aims to explore the impact of dietary ZnO on both acute and persistent PRRSV infections and the local dietary effects on mild, self-limiting TGEV infections in pigs. The PRRSV challenge trial investigates whether high Zn levels can enhance the efficacy of an experimental inactivated vaccine and influence protection in vaccinated and non-vaccinated pigs challenged with a heterologous PRRSV strain. In the TGEV trial, which causes severe gastroenteritis in piglets, the focus is on determining if Zn supplementation can bolster systemic and mucosal immune responses post-infection, alongside exploring the antiviral mechanisms of Zn. The study's specific aims include assessing Zn's impact on clinical outcomes after viral infections, evaluating its effects on innate and adaptive immune responses, exploring its potential to enhance PRRSV vaccine immunogenicity, and investigating the mechanisms behind Zn's protective effects against viral infections in vivo.

• Sprache: Englisch
• Erscheinungsdatum: 2014