In vitro Inhibitory Activity of IgY Antibodies Against Salmonella Ser. Newport Isolated from Horses.
Authors: Bustos Carla P, Leiva Carlos L, Gambarotta Mariana, Guida Nora, Chacana Pablo A
Journal: Journal of equine veterinary science
Summary
# Editorial Summary: IgY Antibodies as a Novel Approach to Equine Salmonellosis Equine salmonellosis, particularly infections caused by *Salmonella* Newport, remains a significant clinical challenge given the rising prevalence of multidrug-resistant strains and the limitations of conventional antibiotic therapy; this study explored passive immunotherapy using egg yolk antibodies (IgY) as an alternative control strategy. Researchers immunised laying hens with an inactivated equine *S.* Newport isolate using either Freund's or Montanide adjuvants, then extracted and characterised IgY antibodies from the egg yolks through microagglutination assays, protein analysis, and functional motility inhibition tests. The IgY extracts demonstrated high purity (87.7–91.8%), substantial microagglutination titres, and markedly suppressed bacterial motility *in vitro*, with Montanide-adjuvanted preparations performing comparably to the traditional Freund's formulation. For equine practitioners, these findings suggest that IgY technology could offer a non-antibiotic intervention for managing salmonellosis cases, particularly valuable for foals or immunocompromised horses where antibiotic resistance is a concern; however, further *in vivo* efficacy studies and investigation of optimal dosing and delivery protocols will be essential before clinical implementation. The potential to produce pathogen-specific IgY extracts relatively economically opens new possibilities for both therapeutic intervention and passive prophylaxis in salmonellosis management.
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Practical Takeaways
- •IgY passive immunotherapy may offer a non-antibiotic alternative for treating salmonellosis in horses, particularly relevant as multidrug-resistant strains become more common
- •Montanide adjuvant appears effective for producing specific IgY antibodies, potentially offering a more practical production method than traditional Freund's adjuvant
- •While in vitro results are promising, further in vivo clinical trials in horses are needed before implementing this therapy in practice
Key Findings
- •IgY extracts against S. Newport demonstrated high purity (87.7-91.8%) and high microagglutination titers
- •IgY antibodies successfully inhibited bacterial motility in vitro
- •Montanide adjuvant produced comparable results to traditional Freund's adjuvant for IgY production
- •IgY-technology represents a potential alternative control strategy for multidrug-resistant Salmonella in horses