Effects of lactoferrin treatment on Escherichia coli O157:H7 rectal colonization in cattle

The terminal rectal mucosa has been identified as the predominant colonization site of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in cattle, thus a possible intervention approach should directly target this colonization site. To determine the effect of lactoferrin on E. coli O157:H7 mucosal colonization at the rectum, five 6-month-old Holstein-Friesian calves were experimentally infected with E. coli O157:H7 and received daily rectal treatment with bovine lactoferrin. Three calves that did not receive the lactoferrin served as control group. The treatment decreased faecal shedding of E. coli O157:H7 and completely eliminated the infection in all animals (n=5) after 19 days administration. The rectal mucosa of all animals (n=5) was cleared from E. coli O157:H7 within 13 days of lactoferrin treatment. To evaluate the local immune responses, three calves treated previously with lactoferrin and three calves of the control group were re-infected when E. coli O157:H7 excretion was no longer detected. The rectal administration of lactoferrin resulted in an EspA- and EspB-specific IgA responses at the rectal mucosa. These mucosal antibodies were not detected in the animals which did not receive the lactoferrin powder. Interestingly, no serum IgA antibodies could be found in animals of the group that received the lactoferrin. These findings emphasize the ability of bovine lactoferrin to clear E. coli O157:H7 colonization in cattle, where lactoferrin may influence the local immune processes against E. coli O157:H7 infection. Thus, bovine lactoferrin treatment could be used in the field to eliminate high-level faecal excretion of E. coli O157:H7 in cattle.