Roundworm in Pigs: Vaccine Efficacy and Barrier Integrity in Pigs Infected with Ascaris suum

The research project ‘Roundworm in Pigs: Vaccine Efficacy and Barrier Integrity in Pigs Infected with Ascaris suum’  investigates how parasitic infections affect the health, performance and immune function of pigs. Particular attention is given to the extent to which infection with Ascaris suum influences vaccine efficacy and compromises the integrity of biological barriers.

Ascaris suum is one of the most important parasites affecting pig production and can have substantial effects on the animal through tissue damage, including in the intestine, liver and lungs, increased energy demands for tissue repair, and changes to the gut microbiota. These effects are thought not only to impair growth and feed efficiency but also to reduce immune responses to vaccination and resilience to opportunistic pathogens.

The findings will contribute to a better understanding of the interactions between parasitic infections, immune function and animal health, thereby providing an important foundation for the development of sustainable animal health strategies in pig production. The project is conducted by the Ecological Animal Husbandry Research Group at HNEE in collaboration with the One Health Helminth DFG Research Training Group at Freie Universität Berlin. It also contributes to the training and development of early-career researchers.

The project comprises two closely linked sub-projects.

Sub-project 1 investigates whether disruption of biological barriers, particularly in the lungs, is associated with a reduced humoral response to PRRS vaccination and lower resilience to respiratory pathogens.

Sub-project 2 examines how early versus late exposure to A. suum affects the intestinal barrier, barrier repair, nutrient digestibility and performance parameters over the long term. Methodologically, the project combines mechanistic in vitro models with animal studies conducted within the production system of an organic farm in Brandenburg, complemented by an A. suum-free control farm.