SCHISTOSOMA-JAPONICUM AND TRICHURIS-SUIS INFECTIONS IN PIGS FED DIETSWITH HIGH AND LOW-PROTEIN

The aim of the study was to measure the impact of Schistosoma japonicu m and Trichuris suis infections in young growing pigs fed low- or high -protein diets. Thirty-two pigs, 6-10 weeks old, were randomly allocat ed to 2 groups receiving either a high- or a low-protein diet. After 1 1 weeks half of the pigs from each group were infected with 1500 S. ja ponicum cercariae and 4000 T. suis eggs. The weight of the pigs was me asured throughout the study, and blood and faecal samples were collect ed every second week from the time of infection. At the time of infect ion the low-protein pigs had significantly lower mean body weights, ha emoglobin and albumin levels compared with the high-protein pigs, and this pattern continued throughout the study. The serum albumin concent ration was further significantly reduced in the infected low-protein p igs compared to the non-infected low-protein pigs. Significantly more S. japonicum worms as well as faecal and tissue eggs were found in the low-protein pigs compared with the high-protein pigs. No differences between the 2 diet groups were observed in T. suis establishment rates or faecal egg excretion. We conclude that this low-protein diet incre ased the establishment rates of S. japonicum, favoured larger deposits of S. japonicum eggs in the liver and faecal egg excretion, reduced w eight gains and caused anaemia and hypoalbuminaemia in young growing p igs as compared with a high-protein diet.