Egg Yolk IgY Antibodies: a Therapeutic Intervention Against Group A Rotavirus in Calves

Vega, C.; Bok, M.; Saif, L.; Fernandez, F.; Parreño, V.

Bovine group A rotavirus (RVA) is considered the major cause of diarrhea in intensively reared neonatal calves. Chicken egg yolk antibodies (IgY) are efficient in protecting neonatal calves from RVA diarrhea; however, it is unclear the value of this intervention in calves once diarrhea has appeared. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the application of RVA-specific IgY as a passive treatment in those cases. The experimental groups were: G1= RVA-specific IgY treatment; G2= no Ab treatment; and G3= colostrum deprived + no Ab treatment. IgY treatment significantly reduced virus shedding, diarrhea duration and severity compared to G2 and G3 calves. However, it caused a partial suppression of systemic Ab responses to RVA that could be associated with less severe diarrhea. The oral treatment with IgY for 7 days was associated with significantly higher antibody secreting cell responses in the calves compared with the other groups of animals.