Recent reports suggest that antibiotic therapy may either reduce or enhance the immune response to various porcine vaccines. Based upon these findings, we asked if antibiotic therapy alters immune cell populations, as measured by flow cytometry and/or vaccine-specific humoral immunity, as measured by sample to positive (S/P) antibody ratios. Here, we investigated the immuno-modulatory effects of enrofloxacin, ceftiofur, and tulathromycin on the immune response to a Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae (M. hyopneumoniae) and porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV-2) combination vaccine in weaned pigs. Maternal antibody likely interfered with the induction of immunity to M. hyopneumoniae. Antibiotic administration did not affect immune cell populations, as assessed by flow cytometry and did not affect the induction of humoral immunity to PCV-2.
Keywords: Pig; antibiotic; vaccine.