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Determinants for swine mycoplasmal pneumonia reproduction under experimental conditions: A systematic review and
Beatriz Garcia-Morante1, Joaquim Segalés2,3, Emmanuel Serrano4,5
1IRTA, Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA, IRTA-UAB), Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain.
Abstract:
One of the main Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae (M. hyopneumoniae) swine experimental model objectives is to reproduce mycoplasmal pneumonia (MP). Unfortunately, experimental validated protocols to maximize the chance to successfully achieve lung lesions induced by M. hyopneumoniae are not available at the moment. Thus, the objective of this work was to identify those factors that might have a major influence on the effective development of MP, measured as macroscopic lung lesions, under experimental conditions. Data from 85 studies describing M. hyopneumoniae inoculation experiments were compiled by means of a systematic review and analyzed thereafter. Several variables were considered in the analyses such as the number of pigs in the experiment, serological status against M. hyopneumoniae, source of the animals, age at inoculation, type of inoculum, strain of M. hyopneumoniae, route, dose and times of inoculation, study duration and co-infection with other swine pathogens. Descriptive statistics were used to depict M. hyopneumoniae experimental model main characteristics whereas a recursive partitioning approach, using regression trees, assessed the importance of the abovementioned experimental variables as MP triggering factors. A strong link between the time period between challenge and necropsies and lung lesion severity was observed. Results indicated that the most important factors to explain the observed lung lesion score variability were: (1) study duration, (2) M. hyopneumoniae strain, (3) age at inoculation, (4) co-infection with other swine pathogens and (5) animal source. All other studied variables were not relevant to explain the variability on M. hyopneumoniae lung lesions. The results provided in the present work may serve as a basis for debate in the search for a universally accepted M. hyopneumoniae challenge model.
Insights
Developing a reliable Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae (M. hyopneumoniae) swine experimental model requires careful consideration of key factors. Study duration, M. hyopneumoniae strain, pig age, co-infections, and animal source significantly influence mycoplasmal pneumonia (MP) lesion development.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Science
- Animal Pathology
- Swine Disease Models
Background:
- Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae (M. hyopneumoniae) causes significant economic losses in swine production due to mycoplasmal pneumonia (MP).
- Reproducing consistent and reproducible lung lesions in experimental M. hyopneumoniae challenge models remains a challenge.
- Validated protocols for maximizing lesion development in experimental MP models are currently lacking.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify key factors influencing the development of macroscopic lung lesions in experimental M. hyopneumoniae infections.
- To provide data-driven insights for optimizing M. hyopneumoniae challenge models in swine research.
- To contribute to the establishment of a universally accepted M. hyopneumoniae experimental model.
Main Methods:
- A systematic review was conducted, compiling data from 85 studies involving M. hyopneumoniae inoculation experiments in pigs.
- Descriptive statistics were used to characterize the experimental models.
- A recursive partitioning approach using regression trees was employed to assess the impact of various experimental variables on lung lesion severity.
Main Results:
- Study duration, M. hyopneumoniae strain, age at inoculation, co-infection status, and animal source were identified as the most significant factors influencing lung lesion variability.
- A strong correlation was observed between the time from challenge to necropsy and the severity of lung lesions.
- Other variables, including inoculum type, route, dose, and frequency of inoculation, did not significantly explain lesion variability.
Conclusions:
- The findings highlight the critical importance of specific experimental parameters in successfully establishing M. hyopneumoniae-induced lung lesions in swine models.
- Optimizing study duration, selecting appropriate M. hyopneumoniae strains, controlling animal source, managing age at inoculation, and considering co-infections are crucial for reproducible MP models.
- This research provides a foundation for developing more standardized and reliable experimental protocols for studying M. hyopneumoniae in pigs.
