The effect of Proliferative Enteropathy on intestine morphology and function

Abstract

To study the effect of Proliferative Enteropathy (PE) on intestine morphology and function 36 pigs were used in this trial. Half of the pigs were kept as a control group and the other half as an experimental group. Faecal PCR and serology suggested that all the pigs were naïve for L.intracellularis at the beginning of the trial. When the pigs were 9 weeks old, the experimental group was inoculated with a mucosal homogenate from a pig severely affected with PE containing L.intracellularis (day 0 of this trial). The control group received PBS as a placebo. During the whole trial blood and faeces were taken from the pigs, it suggested that the control pigs stayed negative for L.intracellularis infection, while the experimental group became positive. The morphology was studied by using the CT scan to look at the intestine wall thickness. The experimental group showed a significantly higher intestinal wall thickness compared to the control group at the time of early and late infection. For the intestinal function, pH of the faeces and enzyme activity in the ileal brush border was measured. Faecal pH didn’t show any significant difference at any time of sampling between the experimental and the control group. However, two time periods were found that showed a difference that may be due to the L.intracellularis infection. The enzymes that were measured in this trial were aminopeptidase and alkaline phosphatase. Both enzymes showed a higher activity (not significant) in control pigs than pigs severely affected with PE. In conclusion our study demonstrates that L.intracellularis alters the intestine morphology (significant) and function (not significant), what suggest a reduced digestion and absorption of nutrients in the small intestine.