Prenatal immuno-stimulation in cows and pigs

Diseases having a multifarious etiology, both infectious and non-infectious , together with unfavorable environmental agents are becoming increasingly important in intensive stock and swine breeding. This issue is particularly important in the case of pregnant females. Stress caused by improper upkee p, feeding and the labour itself may result in immune-suppression and final ly in post-natal disorders. And although chemotherapy still remains the tre atment of choice in prenatal infectious diseases, drugs that stimulate the immune system of females are more and more commonly used. The drugs present ly available on the market may be divided into natural - derived from bacte ria, viral, vegetal, hormonal and synthetic. The natural immunomodulators i nclude: anaerobic Corynebacterium (Propionibacetrium), BCG, lipopolysacchar ides, Lidium KLP, Parapoxovirus ovis D 1707-Baypamun P. In addition, Bacill us subtilis, Corynebacterium uberis, Mycobacterium chelonae and glucan are used. The synthetic immunostimulators include: levamisole, nitrogranulogen, imutiol, isoprynosine, asymekson and pirydoksyne. Homeopathic drugs also s timulate the immune sa stem in the prenatal period. The present paper discu sses the mechanisms of action of the individual immunostimulants and their effectiveness in the treatment of postnatal disorders in cows and pigs.