ORAL TREATMENT OF TRANSMISSIBLE GASTROENTERITIS WITH NATURAL HUMAN INTERFERON-ALPHA - A FIELD-STUDY

During a natural outbreak of transmissible gastroenteritis (TGE), grou ps of piglets were treated orally for 4 consecutive days with placebo or 1.0, 10.0 or 20.0 international units (IU) natural human interferon alpha (nHuIFN alpha). Piglets that were 1-12 days of age and given 1. 0, 10.0 or 20.0 IU nHuIFN alpha had significantly (P < 0.01) greater s urvival rates than placebo-treated piglets; survival rates were the gr eater for the highest level of nHuIFN alpha treatment. In contrast, be neficial effects of nHuIFN alpha were not observed in piglets farrowed during the disease outbreak and given nHuIFN alpha within hours of bi rth. Oral nHuIFN alpha therapy modulates the natural course of high mo rbidity and mortality commonly seen with TGE.