Passive immunity to control Bovine coronavirus diarrhea in a dairy herd in Argentina

Abstract

Bovine coronavirus (BCoV) is a viral enteric pathogen associated with calf diarrhea worldwide being, in Argentina, mostly detected in dairy husbandry systems. The aim of the present work was to study if maternal IgG1 antibodies (Abs) to BCoV acquired by colostrum intake modulate the development of BCoV infection in calves reared in a dairy farm in Argentina. Thirty Holstein calves were monitored during their first 60 days of age. Animals were classified into two groups depending on their initial BCoV IgG1 Ab titers. The "failure of passive transfer" (FPT) group had significantly lower IgG1 Abs to BCoV than the "acceptable passive transfer" (APT) group of calves (log10 1.98 vs. 3.38 respectively) (p<0.0001). These differences were also observed when the total protein levels in both groups were compared (p=0.0081). Moreover, 71% (5/7) of calves from the FPT group showed IgG1 seroconversion to BCoV compared to 29.4% (5/17) of animals from the APT group. Regarding viral circulation, BCoV was detected in 10% (3/30) of all calves and BCoV IgG1 Ab seroconversion was detected in 42% of the total animals showing that almost half of the calves were infected with BCoV. In conclusion, calves with high titers of specific BCoV IgG1 (≥1024) were mostly protected against viral infection, while animals with low titers of IgG1 (<1024) were mostly infected with BCoV. IgG1 Abs from colostrum origin are critical for prevention of BCoV infection.

The occurrence of diseases and their relationship with passive immune transfer in Holstein dairy calves submitted to individual management in southern Brazil

“…Was determined, and failures in the quantity and quality of colostrum supplied to neonates have been related to an increase in the occurrence of cryptosporidiosis. Bok et al (2018) showed that calves that had received a satisfactory absorption of colostrum from calves vaccinated against bovine coronavirus (BcoV) had less percent of The occurrence of diseases… soroconversion to BcoV when contrasted to calves that had not received a satisfactory passive immune transfer, indicating that calves without FPIT are more protected against viral infection. The same results were observed by Foster et al (2019) who also demonstrated that calves receiving colostrum from cows vaccinated against Salmonella sp.…”

Prevalence and risk factors for agents causing diarrhea (Coronavirus, Rotavirus, Cryptosporidium spp., Eimeria spp., and nematodes helminthes) according to age in dairy calves from Brazil

“…Rotavirus is usually associated with Coronavirus, and both agents are one of the main enteropathogens responsible for neonatal diarrhea syndrome in calves (Coura et al 2015;Hayashi et al 2017;Almeida et al 2018;Bok et al 2018;Fritzen et al 2019).…”

Can Drinking Microfiltered Raw Immune Milk From Cows Immunized Against SARS-CoV-2 Provide Short-Term Protection Against COVID-19?

“…Additionally, colostrum prevented influenza infection in healthy volunteers at a rate comparable to influenza vaccination (36). Supplementation of IgG1 antibodies from colostrum against bovine coronavirus (BCV) prevented calves from developing viral infections when compared to those treated with low titers of IgG1, showing that IgG1 antibodies from colostrum are crucial for protection against BCV infection (37). Orally-administered egg yolk and colostrum powders from hens and cows vaccinated with inactivated BCV protected calves from coronavirus infection-induced diarrhea in neonates (38).…”