Development and Use of a Microagglutination Test to Detect Antibodies to Alcaligenes faecalis in Turkeys

A neotetrazolium-chloride-stained Alcaligenes faecalis antigen was developed for use in the microagglutination (MA) test. The test was used to detect serum antibodies in naturally and experimentally infected turkeys. The highest titer observed in naturally infected birds was 1:320. In one commercial flock, antibodies were detected at 12 and 15 weeks after the initial disease outbreak. Four experiments were conducted to study the serologic responses of turkeys to A. faecalis. Antibodies were first detected at 2 weeks postexposure (PE) in poults that were exposed to the organism at 1 week of age. Peak antibody titers were detected at 3 weeks PE; isolations of the organism then declined. No antibodies were detected at 7 weeks PE in these birds. Birds infected at 5 weeks of age via various routes developed maximum antibody titers 2 weeks PE. Birds inoculated subcutaneously had the highest titers, whereas those inoculated intramuscularly had the lowest titers. Antibodies were still detected at 56 days PE in some birds. Hens vaccinated with an inactivated A. faecalis bacterin developed antibody titers. Titers not higher than 1:40 were detected at hatching in progeny of these hens. However, these poults were not protected from disease after challenge. There was some evidence that birds exposed to live or inactivated A. faecalis develop some protection against challenge. Antigens were prepared using 4 Ohio A. faecalis isolates (A, B, C, and D) and 1 North Carolina isolate for use in the MA test. The results indicated that the 5 isolates were antigenically similar. Antigens prepared using isolate B reacted best in the MA test.