Method of preventing early
The present invention relates inter alia to the use of a combination of a vaccine against Lawsonia intracellularis and an anti- Lawsonia antibiotic for the prevention or reduction of early, preferably fulminant Lawsonia intracellularis infections. The present invention relates particularly to the use of a live Lawsonia intracellularis vaccine in conjunction with an antibiotic that is effective against Lawsonia intracellularis , for the avoidance or reduction of early Lawsonia intracellularis infections in animals.
1. A method of reducing early Lawsonia intracellularis infection in piglets as compared to unvaccinated piglets or piglets treated only with an anti- Lawsonia antibiotic that is effective against Lawsonia intracellularis , comprising administering a live attenuated Lawsonia intracellularis vaccine and administering the anti- Lawsonia antibiotic, wherein said live attenuated Lawsonia intracellularis vaccine is administered at about four weeks of life of said piglets and the anti- Lawsonia antibiotic is administered over a period of 12 to 21 days starting at day 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7 after the administration of said live attenuated Lawsonia intracellularis vaccine.
2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said early infection is a fulminant infection.
3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said live attenuated Lawsonia intracellularis vaccine is administered at three weeks of life of said piglets.
4. The method according to claim 2 , wherein said anti- Lawsonia antibiotic is administered at least until reliable immunity against said early fulminant Lawsonia intracellularis infection is detected.
5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the reliable immunity is determined by the detection of Lawsonia intracellularis -specific antibodies in the piglets administered with the live attenuated Lawsonia intracellularis vaccine and the anti- Lawsonia antibiotic.
6. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising additionally administering said anti- Lawsonia antibiotic, wherein the anti- Lawsonia antibiotic is administered from 1 to 3 days before the administration of said live attenuated Lawsonia intracellularis vaccine.
7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said anti- Lawsonia antibiotic is acetylisovaleryltylosin, lincospectin, tiamulin, tulathromycin (draxxin), tylosin, valnemulin, or a combination thereof.
8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein tylosin is administered in an amount of 10 to 50 mg/kg of body weight of the piglets.
9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the reduction of the early Lawsonia intracellularis infection in the piglets results in an improved weight gain in the piglets in the first fifty days of life after the vaccination as compared with the unvaccinated piglets or the piglets treated only with the antibiotic.
10. The method according to claim 9 , wherein said improved weight gain is at least 1 kg.
11. A method of reducing early Lawsonia intracellularis infection in piglets as compared to unvaccinated piglets or piglets treated only with tylosin antibiotic, comprising administering a live attenuated Lawsonia intracellularis vaccine and administering the tylosin antibiotic, wherein said live attenuated Lawsonia intracellularis vaccine is administered at about four weeks of life of said piglets and the tylosin antibiotic is administered over a period of 12 to 21 days starting at day 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7 after the administration of said live attenuated Lawsonia intracellularis vaccine.
12. The method according to claim 11 , wherein said early infection is a fulminant infection.
13. The method according to claim 11 , wherein said live attenuated Lawsonia intracellularis vaccine is administered at three weeks of life of said piglets.
14. The method according to claim 12 , wherein said tylosin antibiotic is administered at least until reliable immunity against said early fulminant Lawsonia intracellularis infection is detected.
15. The method according to claim 11 , wherein said tylosin antibiotic is administered in an amount of 10 to 50 mg/kg of body weight of the piglets.