Salmonella Vaccination in Pigs: A Review

Area of Science:

• Veterinary immunology
• Food safety
• Swine production

Background:

• Salmonella enterica poses significant risks to public and animal health in pig production.
• Porcine Salmonella infections are persistent, often asymptomatic, and the pathogen can survive in the environment and other animal species.
• Effective control necessitates multifaceted strategies beyond individual measures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the historical and current role of vaccination in controlling Salmonella enterica in pigs.
• To evaluate the efficacy of different vaccination approaches, including inactivated, live, and mucosal vaccines.
• To discuss future directions and remaining challenges in porcine Salmonella vaccination.

Main Methods:

• Comprehensive review of scientific literature on Salmonella vaccination in pigs from the 1950s to the present.
• Analysis of vaccine performance based on immune response (humoral vs. cell-mediated) and control efficacy.
• Examination of vaccination strategies, including passive and active immunization.

Main Results:

• Inactivated Salmonella vaccines often show disappointing performance due to the intracellular nature of the pathogen and immune evasion.
• Mucosal vaccines, live vaccines, and adjuvants enhancing cell-mediated immunity have demonstrated greater success.
• Vaccination strategies combining passive immunity from the dam and active immunity in offspring are most efficacious.

Conclusions:

• Vaccination is a critical component of Salmonella control in pig production, but challenges remain.
• Improving control against diverse Salmonella serovars and predicting vaccine performance in commercial settings are key areas for future research.
• Further development of innovative vaccination strategies is needed to enhance swine health and public safety.