A new enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli vaccine candidate constructed using a Salmonella ghost delivery system: Comparative evaluation with a commercial vaccine for neonatal piglet colibacillosis

In this study, a comparative evaluation between a Salmonella ghost vaccine expressing enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) fimbrial antigens and a commercial ETEC vaccine was conducted in neonatal piglets. Genes encoding the ETEC K88ab, K88ac, K99, FasA, and F41 fimbrial proteins were individually cloned into an expression/ghost plasmid (pJHLP184) carrying the pBR origin, asd, the ompA signal sequence to direct antigens to the cell membrane, cI857/λP_R promoter, araC P_araBAD, and the phiX174 lysis gene E. Individual clones were subsequently used to electroporate a δasd S. Typhimurium strain, and positive clones were used to generate Salmonella ghosts. Pregnant sows (n=12) were equally divided into four groups. Pregnant sows were primed and boosted at 11 and 14 weeks of pregnancy, respectively. Group A, B, and C sows were intramuscularly inoculated with PBS as a control, a commercial vaccine, and with 2×10¹⁰ ghost cells, respectively, while group D sows were orally immunized with 2×10¹⁰ ghost cells. All the vaccinated sows and their offspring exhibited increased ETEC fimbrial antigen antibody levels relative to those in the unimmunized group A. Especially, serum IgG and colostrum IgA levels in the group D sows and serum IgG and IgA levels in their piglets were significantly higher than those in control group sows and offspring, respectively. The levels of interleukin-4 against all the fimbrial proteins in peripheral blood lymphocytes of group D sows also increased significantly, whereas no difference between the control group and any of the immunized groups was detected for interferon-γ. In addition, the piglets of group D did not experience diarrhea following challenge with virulent ETEC strains. Diarrhea was observed in 88.9%, 30.4%, and 23.5% of the piglets in groups A, B and C, respectively. Mortality was observed in 16.7% and 5.9% of the piglets in groups A and C, respectively. These findings indicate that immunization of sows with the ghost vaccine candidate, especially by the oral route, can effectively protect their offspring against E. coli colibacillosis.