Cross-protection between Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae biotypes-serotypes in pigs

Four groups of hysterectomy-derived and colostrum-deprived pigs were intranasally inoculated with an Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae biotype 1-serotype 2 strain (producing RTX toxins ApxII and ApxIII, 6 pigs), an A. pleuropneumoniae biotype 1-serotype 10 strain (producing ApxI, 5 pigs), an A. pleuropneumoniae biotype 2-serotype 2 strain (producing ApxII, 5 pigs) or saline (controls, 7 pigs). All pigs were exposed to A. pleuropneumoniae biotype 1-serotype 2 endobronchial challenge. After challenge, severe clinical signs were observed in all control pigs, one pig immunized with the A. pleuropneumoniae biotype 1-serotype 10 strain and two pigs immunized with the A. pleuropneumoniae biotype 2-serotype 2 strain. These pigs died within 36 h after challenge and 20 to 50% of the lungs were macroscopically affected. In the other pigs, clinical signs were mild or absent and no or only small, focal lung lesions were observed when euthanized at 48 h after challenge. At the time of challenge neutralizing antibodies against ApxI only, ApxII only and both ApxII and III were present in sera of pigs immunized with the A. pleuropneumoniae biotype 1-serotype 10 strain, the A. pleuropneumoniae biotype 2-serotype 2 strain and the A. pleuropneumoniae biotype 1-serotype 2 strain, respectively. These results indicate that immune mechanisms other than Apr neutralizing antibodies were involved in partial cross-protection of pigs immunized against A. pleuropneumoniae biotype 1-serotype 10 and challenged with the A. pleuropneumoniae biotype 1-serotype 2.