A transmission experiment involving 5-week-old specific-pathogen-free (SPF) piglets, with (MDA+) or without maternally-derived antibodies (MDA−), was carried out to evaluate the impact of passive immunity on the transmission of a swine influenza A virus (swIAV). In each group (MDA+/MDA−), 2 seeders were placed with 4 piglets in direct contact and 5 in indirect contact (3 replicates per group). Serological kinetics (ELISA) and individual viral shedding (RT-PCR) were monitored for 28 days after infection. MDA waning was estimated using a nonlinear mixed-effects model and survival analysis. Differential transmission rates were estimated depending on the piglets’ initial serological status and contact structure (direct contact with pen-mates or indirect airborne contact). The time to MDA waning was 71.3 [52.8–92.1] days on average. The airborne transmission rate was 1.41 [0.64–2.63] per day. The compared shedding pattern between groups showed that MDA+ piglets had mainly a reduced susceptibility to infection compared to MDA− piglets. The resulting reproduction number estimated in MDA+ piglets (5.8 [1.4–18.9]), although 3 times lower than in MDA− piglets (14.8 [6.4–27.1]), was significantly higher than 1. Such an efficient and extended spread of swIAV at the population scale in the presence of MDAs could contribute to swIAV persistence on farms, given the fact that the period when transmission is expected to be impacted by the presence of MDAs can last up to 10 weeks.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13567-016-0365-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

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Swine Influenza A Viruses (swIAVs) have been shown to persist in farrow-to-finish pig herds with repeated outbreaks in successive batches, increasing the risk for respiratory disorders in affected animals and being a threat for public health. Although the general routes of swIAV transmission (i.e. direct contact and exposure to aerosols) were clearly identified, the transmission process between batches is still not fully understood. Maternally derived antibodies (MDAs) were stressed as a possible factor favoring within-herd swIAV persistence. However, the relationship between MDAs and the global spread among the different subpopulations in the herds is still lacking. The aim of this study was therefore to understand the mechanisms induced by MDAs in relation with swIAV spread and persistence in farrow-to-finish pig herds. A metapopulation model has been developed representing the population dynamics considering two subpopulations—breeding sows and growing pigs—managed according to batch-rearing system. This model was coupled with a swIAV-specific epidemiological model, accounting for partial passive immunity protection in neonatal piglets and an immunity boost in re-infected animals. Airborne transmission was included by a between-room transmission rate related to the current prevalence of shedding pigs. Maternally derived partial immunity in piglets was found to extend the duration of the epidemics within their batch, allowing for efficient between-batch transmission and resulting in longer swIAV persistence at the herd level. These results should be taken into account in the design of control programmes for the spread and persistence of swIAV in swine herds.