The
Egg, Antibodies and Passive Immunity
"Optimum
performance and health from the natural source of all life -- the
egg." John Hare
Active immunity is the development of antibodies in response
to stimulation by an antigen.
Passive immunity is achieved when those antibodies developed
by active immune response are transferred into another
recipient.
Naturally acquired active immunity occurs when the host is
exposed to a live pathogen, develops the disease, and becomes
immune as a result of the infection.
Artificially acquired active immunity can
be induced by a vaccine, a substance that contains the antigen
of non-pathogenic nature. A vaccine induces immune response
against the specific antigen without causing symptoms of the
disease.
Naturally acquired passive immunity occurs during pregnancy,
when certain antibodies are passed from the maternal circulation
into the blood stream of the fetus, and immediately after
pregnancy through nursing.
Artificially acquired passive immunity can
be achieved by a short-term immunization (injection) of specific
antibodies, immunoglobulin (IgY) and gamma globulin, which are
not produced by the recipient's cells.
Antibodies in eggs are the hen’s natural way of
delivering passive immunity to the chicks to help them fight off
pathogens before their own immune system becomes functional.
Other animals (mammals) deliver natural passive immunity as well
via their circulatory system prenatally or through colostrum and
milk, while nursing.
The IgY in the chicken’s blood is transported to
the egg and accumulates in the egg yolk. They become a natural
source of IgY, with each egg containing some 150mg of IgY. When
eggs are obtained from hens vaccinated with certain antigens,
the eggs contain antibodies specific to that antigen. The
immunity in each egg mimics that of the hen as the antibodies in
the egg are the result of natural or vaccine-derived stimuli to
the parent hen.
If the parent is exposed to a specific pathogen during its life
it develops naturally acquired active immunity against that
pathogen. If the parent is vaccinated against a specific
pathogen or antigen during its life it develops artificially
acquired active immunity against that pathogen/antigen. In both
situations, eggs produced by the parent contain antibodies
against that pathogen. Chicken eggs can then be used as a
natural alternate antibody source because of the antibodies they
pass on to young animals.
Antibody
benefits help to increase the importance of the egg even more.
The perfect protein would supply all the essential amino acids
the animal requires in an appropriate balance. The closest to
this 'perfect' balanced protein is whole egg protein.
It is the same natural egg antibodies
that have been the source of artificially acquired passive
immunity in a long known herdsmen’s remedy where eggs are fed to
treat diarrhea in calves.
Stimulating a specific immune response to an
antigen with resulting specific antibodies against that antigen
is the basis of any vaccine technology. Typically this is done
with the idea of producing artificial active immunity for the
recipient host.
The basis of
Nutratech's technology is to
provide acquired passive immunity to animals and humans against
certain pathogens, by treating them with eggs containing
antibodies from hens immunized with antigens of non-pathogenic
nature.