An experimental model to evaluate Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae transmission from asymptomatic carriers to unvaccinated and vaccinated sentinel pigs

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of vaccinating susceptible animals on the transmission of Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae from experimentally infected pigs during the chronic phase of infection. Thirty-six seeder pigs were experimentally infected with M. hyopneumoniae. Eighty and 200 d post-infection (dpi) 18 seeder pigs were placed in direct contact with 15 vaccinated and 15 unvaccinated age-matched naïve animals. Direct animal contact occurred over 14 d. Pigs were euthanized at the end of the contact period and bronchial swabs were collected and lung tissue examined. At 94 dpi, 15 out of 15 unvaccinated sentinels and 14 out of 15 vaccinated sentinels tested positive for M. hyopneumoniae by nested polymerase chain reaction (N-PCR). At 214 dpi, M. hyopneumoniae DNA was detected by PCR in 8 out of 15 unvaccinated and 6 out of 15 vaccinated sentinels. Vaccination against M. hyopneumoniae did not prevent colonization of sentinels in contact with infected animals. Transmission of M. hyopneumoniae from asymptomatic carriers to unvaccinated and vaccinated sentinels was not different.