SEROLOGICAL RESPONSE PRODUCED IN CHICKENS BY 3 STRAINS OF MYCOPLASMA GALLISEPTICUM

Three strains of Mycoplasma gallisepticum, S6, F and WS7, were used to infect 3 groups of broiler chickens. Serum antibody response was investigated using the stained antigen plate agglutination (SA) test and the haemagglutination inhibition (HI) test. The HI test was more strain specific and was associated with low molecular weight (IgG) antibodies. Chickens infected with one strain did not always give an HI reaction with the heterotypic antigen. The SA test was associated with high molecular weight (IgM) antibodies. Chickens infected with the three strains always reacted serologically with the homotypic and heterotypic SA antigens. In chickens infected with the S6 and WS7 strains, the IgM and IgG antibody titres remained consistently high during the period of the experiment; in chickens infected with the F strain, the IgG antibodies had disappeared by 7 weeks after infection although the IgM antibodies persisted. Copyright © 1969, Wiley Blackwell. All rights reserved