Falha na trasferência de imunidade passiva em neonato equino: Relato de caso

Abstract

Failure of passive transfer of immunity (FTIP) is a relatively common immune condition in equines, as the newborn needs maternal antibodies, originating from colostrum, to have immunological protection in the first weeks of life, which is called passive immunity. The antibodies present in colostrum are immunoglobulins and are transferred to the newborn only in the first hours of life through the ingestion of colostrum. This colostrum is formed approximately 30 days before parturition and is essential for the maintenance of the foals' lives, being able to maintain significant serum levels of immunoglobulins up to 90 days of life. In many cases, the newborn foal does not ingest colostrum or ingests a small volume, and this may be related to several factors, from difficulty in standing up, difficulty in suckling, pre-existing diseases from intrauterine life and even failure in the production of colostrum by the mare. Failure to ingest colostrum results in FTIP and can lead to dehydration, hypoglycemia and later to infections or even sepsis, in the first hours of life. In these cases, the foal may die if not treated quickly. Therefore, this study aims to report a case of FTIP in a newborn horse treated at the UNIFEOB Veterinary Center.