2016 ACVIM Forum Research Abstract Program

The composition and richness of the equine neonatal microbiota is changing rapidly after birth. Similar to adults, foals with diarrhea have changes in composition and richness of the microbiota. Further studies are needed to assess whether these changes are the cause or effect of diarrhea. flow cytometry, and Real-Time PCR. Statistical analysis was performed using SIGMA Plotv12.0TM (Systat Inc., Richmond, CA) with significance determined at the level of (P ≤ 0.05). Non-normally distributed data was log transformed prior to statistical analysis. For each variable measured (cell-mediated immunity, etc.), a mixed model two way ANOVA with repeated measures was used. In measuring the humoral immune response to the EIV component of the vaccine, results showed an overall significant (P < 0.05) increase in the change of HI antibody titers in vaccinated ponies compared to non-vaccinated saline controls. Further, there was an increase in EIV-specific IgGa and IgGb antibody titers in the vaccinated group of ponies compared to the saline controls, there was no change in IgGT responses in the vaccinated ponies. Measurement of CMI responses by flow cytometry showed a significant increase in EIV-specific interferon-gamma being produced per cell from the vaccinated ponies compared to the saline controls. Measurement of EIV specific CMI responses by Real-Time PCR showed a significant increase in EIV-specific interferon gamma and granzyme B gene expression in the vaccinated ponies compared to controls. There was no significant difference in the gene expression of perforin, IL-2 or IL-18 when comparing the vaccinated ponies to the controls. Overall, the combination killed vaccine induced significant humoral and cell-mediated responses in na€ ıve animals. States. WNV infection can cause severe acute illness, with devastating clinical signs of illness affecting gait and behavioural abnormalities often times resulting in a high case fatality rate. Thus, WNV vaccination is a recommended core vaccine and is an essential standard of care for all horses in North America as recommended by the AAEP. Many commercially available vaccines are sold as single pathogen vaccines, however nowadays several are available as multi-pathogen or combination vaccines. Little data exists to characterize the immune response to the WNV antigen following a combination vaccination. We hypothesize that a multipathogen "combination" vaccine will elicit significant cell-mediated and humoral immune responses in na€ ıve ponies. A total of 16 influenza na€ ıve yearling ponies were randomly assigned to receive one of two treatment groups: (Group 1) (n = 8) Vetera Ò EWT + EIV + WNV (BIVI) vaccination and (Group 2) (n = 8) controls to receive a saline vaccination. All vaccinate ponies received a primary vaccination on day 0, followed by a booster vaccination on day 28. Peripheral blood was collected from all ponies prior to vaccination on day 0 and every 2 weeks following for an 8 week period. Serum and peripheral blood mononuclear cells were isolated to measure WNV-specific antibody and cell-mediated immune responses by the following assays: ELISA, interferongamma intracellular staining by flow cytometry, and Real-Time PCR. Statistical analysis was performed using SIGMA Plotv12.0TM (Systat Inc., Richmond, CA) with significance determined at the level of (P ≤ 0.05). Non-normally distributed data were log transformed prior to statistical analysis. For each variable measured (cell-mediated immu