Pathology of Trichuris suis Infection in Pigs Fed an Inulin- and a Non-inulin-containing Diet
2006
Krag, L. | Thomsen, L.E. | Iburg, T.
Pathology of the colon in pigs infected with Trichuris suis and fed an inulin and a non-inulin containing diet was studied to investigate the inflammatory response induced and the influence of inulin on this. Twenty-nine pigs were allocated into four groups (N-7, I-7, N-9 and N/I-9). Groups N-7, N-9 and N/I-9 were given a diet with non-fermentable carbohydrates, and group I-7 was fed a diet including fermentable carbohydrates (inulin). After 2 weeks, all pigs were inoculated with 2000 T. suis eggs. Seven weeks post-infection (p.i.), groups N-7 and I-7 were killed and group N/I-9 changed to inulin diet to study the influence of inulin on already established T. suis. Nine weeks p.i., groups N-9 and N/I-9 were killed. Trichuris suis were collected from the colon for enumeration. Tissues from the colon of each pig were taken for histological and immunohistochemical quantitative and semi-quantitative evaluations of heterophils, eosinophils, mast cells, IgA⁺, IgG⁺, IgM⁺ and CD3⁺ cells. The findings were compared with tissues from seven uninfected pigs of the same age. Pigs fed inulin had significantly fewer worms compared with pigs on the non-fermentable carbohydrate diet. The number of inflammatory cells in the colonic mucosa was increased in all T. suis-infected pigs compared with uninfected controls. The numbers of eosinophils, mast cells, IgA⁺, IgG⁺ and CD3⁺ cells were significantly lower in pigs fed inulin than pigs fed non-fermentable carbohydrate. Whether this is a direct effect of inulin or a secondary effect due to the lower parasitic burden in inulin fed pigs is not known.
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