Efficacy of an inactivated Mycoplasma hyorhinis vaccine in pigs

Lameness and polyserositis in pigs caused by Mycoplasma hyorhinis are generally treated with antibiotics and may require multiple doses. The costs of these antibiotics combined with economic losses from culling and reduced feed conversion due to lameness are hardships to the swine producer. In this study we have demonstrated efficacy of an inactivated M. hyorhinis vaccine administered to three-week old caesarian-derived colostrum-deprived piglets. Three doses of vaccine (high, medium, and low) were evaluated and compared to a placebo control. Mycoplasma hyorhinis challenge occurred three weeks after vaccination. Pigs were observed for lameness and respiratory distress for three weeks following challenge. Pigs were then euthanized and a gross pathological evaluation for polyserositis and arthritis was performed. A minimum immunizing dose of vaccine was defined as containing at least 7.41 × 10⁷ CCU of M. hyorhinis per 2.0 mL dose as represented by the medium dose vaccine. This vaccine provided significant reductions in lameness and pericarditis with preventive fractions of 0.76 (95% CI [0.26, 0.92]) and 0.58 (95% CI [0.31, 0.74]), respectively, compared to the placebo control group. A significant increase in post-challenge weight gain (P < .0001) was also achieved with this vaccine, with an average daily gain (ADG) of 0.92 lbs/day compared to 0.57 lbs/day in the placebo group.