Innovative solution against post-weaning diarrhea in pigs

Authors: Armelle Tchoumi Nerée, Farzaneh Noori, Abdelkrim Azzouz, Marcio Costa, John Morris Fairbrother, Mircea Alexandru Mateescu and Younes Chorfi.

Article published in Porc Québec, June 2025, Volume 36, Pages 26 and 27

Post-weaning diarrhea is a recurring disease in piglets, causing considerable economic losses for pig farmers in Quebec. This condition is caused by enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC:F4). This strain of E. coli has the unique ability to attach to the intestinal cells of piglets using its F4 fimbriae, then release toxins that disrupt the intestinal fluid balance, thus causing frequent watery diarrhea.

To date, antibiotics have been the primary therapeutic approach against this pathogen. However, their use promotes the emergence of bacterial resistance, thus reducing their effectiveness. Faced with this problem, Professor Chorfi's research team at UdeM is exploring innovative alternatives, including the use of zero-valence silver or copper nanoparticles.

Recent work published in 2024 revealed that zero-valence silver or copper-based nanoparticles, formulated with carboxymethylcellulose (a polysaccharide), inhibit the in vitro growth of ETEC:F4 bacteria, whether or not they are in the presence of pig intestinal cells. Although these nanoparticles induce some cellular toxicity, their cytotoxic effect is almost negligible compared to their bactericidal action. Furthermore, the zero-valence silver nanoparticles have a significantly higher bactericidal efficacy than their copper-based counterparts.

A Promising Alternative to Antibiotics

This research was conducted with the CRIPA team, composed of chemists and biochemists from UQAM, as well as microbiologists and veterinarians from the University of Montreal. It demonstrates the bactericidal effect of zero-valence silver or copper nanoparticles formulated with carboxymethylcellulose, both in the presence and absence of pig intestinal cells. These nanoparticles significantly reduce the harmful effects of the ETEC:F4 bacterium in vitro. Furthermore, they prevent the formation of biofilms, which are involved in the bacterial attachment process to the host cell.

The proposed nanotechnologies could revolutionize the fight against post-weaning diarrhea in pigs, as they offer an effective and sustainable therapeutic alternative to antibiotics. This research project represents a new advance that is already generating considerable interest in the agri-food sector, where the search for innovative antibacterial compounds is more urgent than ever.

This research opens new therapeutic avenues for pig farmers in Quebec. Furthermore, planned and upcoming in vivo studies will allow for the evaluation of the efficacy of these nanotechnologies and the establishment of the optimal oral dosage. By limiting the use of antibiotics, this approach could contribute to improving pig health while reducing the economic losses associated with bacterial infections caused by E. coli.

Funding

This research was funded by a grant from the Swine and Poultry Infectious Diseases Research Center (CRIPA-FRQ New Initiatives) awarded to Younès Chorfi, Mircea Alexandru Mateescu, John Morris Fairbrother, and Marcio Costa, and was also supported by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), grant number 06912 (Mircea Alexandru Mateescu). Armelle Tchoumi Nérée also received a postdoctoral fellowship from the Fonds de recherche du Québec (FRQ).

Source: Tchoumi Neree, A.; Noori, F.; Azzouz, A.; Costa, M.; Fairbrother, J.M.; Mateescu, M.A.; Chorfi, Y. Silver and Copper Nanoparticles Hosted by Carboxymethyl Cellulose Reduce the Infective Effects of Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli: F4 on Porcine Intestinal Enterocyte IPEC-J2. Microorganisms 2024, 12, 2026.