Short Communication · Volume 51, Issue 6, 22 September 2019 · Open Access
Effect of Vitamin E Supplementation on Humoral Immunity Following the Administration of Enterotoxaemia Vaccine in Goats
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Affiliations & Notes ⌄
- 1Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore 2Department of Animal Health, the University of Agriculture, Peshawar 3Instutute of Basic Medical Sciences, Khyber Medical University, Peshawar 4Gomal College of Veterinary Sciences, Gomal University, D.I. Khan 5College of Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry, Abdul Wali Khan University, Mardan 6Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Quaid e Azam University, Islamabad 7Depar
Article Info ⌄
- Journal:
- Pakistan Journal of Zoology
- Published:
- 22 September 2019

Abstract
Materials and methods
Thirty six apparently healthy and not vaccinated against Clostridium perfringens, animals (eighteen goats and rabbits each) of four to six months of age, were purchased from local markets of district Mardan and were kept at experimental farm in Animal Health Department, the University of Agriculture Peshawar, Pakistan. The selected animals were confirmed healthy since their feces gave no growth on tryptose sulfite cycloserine agar (TCA) medium. All the animals were kept on ad-libtum green grass for two weeks. Each species was divided in 3 groups (A, B and C) of each 6 animals. Group A’s diet was supplement with vitamin E at 30 mg [dl] tocopheryl acetate (Hoffman LaRoche, 50% dry vitamin E) per kg live body weight. Animals in groups A and B were twice vaccinated with enterotoxemia-cum-lamb dysentery vaccine 1 mL subcutaneously (Veterinary Research Institute, Peshawar) with interval of two weeks. This vaccine is C. perfringens types B and D bacterin toxoid inactivated with formalin and adjuvated with alum hydroxide.
Isolates of C. perfringens type D was obtained from vaccine section of Veterinary Research Institute Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pakistan. The isolate sample was identified through Gram staining and then grown on Robertson’s Cooked Meat medium in CO2 incubator at 37°C for 36 h. Biochemical characteristics were tested through tests kit (remel Rapid ANA II test kit Lenexa, USA). PCR was performed to confirm type D by using their genomic DNA through alpha and epsilon specific primers F- 5-TGC TAA TGTTAC TGC CGT TGA TAG-3; R- 5-TGC TAA TGTTAC TGC CGT TGA TAG-3 & F-5-ATT AAA ATC ACA ATC ATT CAC TTG-3; R-5-CTT GTG AAG GGA CAT TAT GAG TAA-3 (Khan et al,. 2017).
The culture was centrifuged at 2000 rpm at 4°C for half an hour and washed in phosphate buffer (pH 7.2, 0.15 molar). The suspension then sonicated at 20 kHz and 105W for 5 min (Ultrasonic Homogenizer (MODEL 300VT USA). Human RBCs taken from blood group O was sensitized and glutaraldehyde (1%) was mixed for IHA test with sensitized human RBCs of blood group O .
For humoral Immunity serum collected from the blood samples of all animals included in this trial on 0, 7th, 14th, 28th and 45th day of the vaccination. All the serum samples were heated for 30 min at 56ºC for inactivation and then stored on -20°C for further analysis. The titers were measured through (IHA) indirect haemagglutination test .
A direct intravenous lethal challenge of ten times the dose of potent LD50 epsilon toxin D was used to determine protection percentage. Protection percentage was calculated from number of rabbits survived after lethal challenge. Antibody titers were compared among various groups of animals by one way ANOVA at the level of 95% confidence interval (P<0.05).
Results
Vitamin E supplementation significantly increased humoral antibody titers against epsilon toxin of C. perfringens type D in 60 days trail (Table I). Significant difference (P<0.05) among groups were observed on 14th, 21th, 28th and 60th after vaccination. The significantly higher geometric mean titer (GMT) 465.67 was produced by group A on 28th post vaccination. The rabbits were challenged on 45th day post vaccination to find out protection percentage. The rabbits in group A exhibited 100%, when challenged on 45th day post vaccination (Table I).
Antibody titers were similarly analyzed and compared in various groups of goats on 0, 7th, 14th, 21th, 28th and 60th day of enterotoxaemia vaccine inoculation. Significant differences (P<0.05) among groups were observed on 14th,
Table I.- Comparative geometric mean (Mean±SD) titer against epsilon toxin D in rabbits and goats.
| Days | Rabbits | Goats | ||||
| Vitamin E supplemented enterotoxaemia vaccinated | Enteroto-xaemia vaccinated | Control | Vitamin E supplemented enterotoxaemia vaccinated | Enterotox-aemia vaccinated | Con-trol | |
| 0 | 1.67±3.2a | 2.00±3.9a | 1.67±3.2a | 1.67±3.2a | 1.67±3.2a | 2.00±3.9a |
| 7 | 59.67±6.6a | 54.33±6.6b | 2.00±3.9b | 92.0±7.2a | 72.5±6.4b | 1.67±3.2c |
| 14 | 190.83±11.76a | 78.0±9.8b | 2.00±3.9c | 205.17±47.2a | 109.50±9.9b | 2.00±3.9c |
| 21 | 311.83±50.7a | 166.0±12.1b | 1.67±3.2c | 373.33±53.3a | 184.67±15.2b | 2.00±3.9c |
| 28 | 465.67±69.7 a | 232.83±34.8 b | 2.00±3.9 c | 658.0±22.1 a | 326.5±66.1 b | 1.67±3.2 c |
| 60 | 361.16±64.3 a | 218.0±25.8 b | 1.67±3.2 c | 361.16±64.2 a | 182.37±32.3 b | 2.67±5.2 c |
Difference in superscripts represent significant (P<0.05) difference.
28th and 45th after vaccination. The highest geometric mean titer (GMT) 658.0 was produced by group A on 28th post vaccination while group B produced 326.5 and group C indicated baseline antibody titer (Table I).
Vaccination against C. perfringens type D is the main prophylactic measure in controlling the losses from this disease but there is no specific caprine enterotoxaemia vaccine. Ovine vaccine are used for the purpose . The antibody titre produced from these vaccines in goats were low and for shorter duration . The reason for the differences between ovine and caprine are unknown . Monika et al. (2011) suggested that flaws in the present immunization strategies against enterotoxaemia needs further study in this field.
For this purpose the present project was designed to study the effect of vitamin E supplementation on immune titer, duration and protection against C. perfringens type D infection. The results indicated that vitamin E supplementation greatly enhances the immune response of goats against epsilon toxin D of C. perfringens. The results indicated that vitamin E supplementation greatly enhances the immune response of goats against epsilon toxin D of C. perfringens. The findings are in agreement with the previous studies (Prince et al., 2017; conducted in various animal species against different viral and bacterial diseases. The study indicated improved humoral immunity response with vitamin E supplementations. Our study trial proved impressive humoral immunity response with vitamin E supplementation, although a better relationship was found between increased humoral immunity and protection percentage against C. perfringens type D toxins.
This beneficial effect of vitamin E was studied for the 1st time in goats which protected goats from the lethal challenge of C. perfringens type D toxins. Immune titers were calculated through Indirect haemagglutination test in both animal species similarly determined by Tahir et al.
(2013).
The results of our indicated the synergistic role of vitamin E along with enterotoxaemia vaccine in the induction of better and long immune response against C. perfringens type D infection.
Statement of conflict of interest
All authors declare no conflict of interest.
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