RESUMO
The present study describes two experiments to standardize the phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) skin test as an indicator of lymphocyte reactivity in pigs after exposure to stressful situations in practical pig husbandry. The first experiment was a dose-response experiment. No time dose interaction was found, so the pattern of the reaction was the same for all doses used, although the magnitude of the reaction differed. The second experiment was carried out to determine stress-induced changes in lymphocyte reactivity. One half of a group of 48 pigs was exposed to stress (mixing, moving, and an increased stocking density). The immune reactivity to intradermally injected PHA of stressed animals differed significantly (P < 0.01) from that of unstressed controls. The reaction of stressed animals can be characterized by a delayed reaction with a lower peak. It can be concluded that frequent measurements are preferable to single measurements when the effects of stress on immunological processes are studied.
Assuntos
Dermatite Alérgica de Contato/veterinária , Fito-Hemaglutininas/imunologia , Testes Cutâneos/veterinária , Estresse Fisiológico/veterinária , Doenças dos Suínos/imunologia , Animais , Dermatite Alérgica de Contato/imunologia , Relação Dose-Resposta Imunológica , Feminino , Linfócitos/imunologia , Masculino , Pele/imunologia , Pele/patologia , Dobras Cutâneas , Estresse Fisiológico/imunologia , SuínosRESUMO
The effect of starvation on blood glucose, muscle glycogen and liver glycogen concentration was measured in a group of newborn piglets. Liver biopsies were obtained by using a modified version of the Menghini technique. No difference in length of survival time was observed between piglets that received water and those that did not. Piglets with higher birth weight survived longer. No relationship was found between initial liver glycogen content and survival time. Moreover, we concluded that plasma glucose levels are not reliable indicators of length of survival time. The interrelated changes in liver glycogen, muscle glycogen, and plasmaglucose concentrations found in this study correspond with those reported elsewhere. Moreover, the number of experimental animals needed for the study was markedly reduced. We conclude that the liver biopsy technique is valuable in longitudinal hypoglycaemia studies of piglets.
