Effect of levamisole on the number of intestinal goblet cells in weaned pigs experimentally vaccinated against colibacillosis

VALPOTIĆ: Effect of levamisole on the number of intestinal goblet cells in weaned pigs experimentally vaccinated against colibacillosis. Vet. arhiv 79, 543-553, 2009. Postweaning colibacillosis (PWC) is an etiologically complex disease commonly induced by porcine F4ac + enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) for which no effective vaccine is available. The objective of this study was to determine the nonspecific immunomodulatory effect of levamisole in combination with specific intragastric immunization of weaned pigs with a candidate F4ac + non-ETEC oral vaccine on the population of intestinal goblet cells (GC). The pigs were immunized with F4ac + non-ETEC strain, in combination with or without levamisole. Seven days after immunization the pigs were challenged with F4ac + ETEC strain and 14 days following immunization they were euthanatized for sampling of specimens of the small intestine for immunohistochemistry and morphometric analyses. Samples of the ileum were tested for the presence of acidic and neutral carbohydrates, components of mucus produced and secreted by the intestinal goblet cells (GC). The volume density (V) of the PAS V + and AB +/PAS+ GC was determined using the stereological point-counting method. The Vv of the ileal PAS + GC was lowest (0.130 ± 0.075 mm3) in the pigs that were immunized wit