The effect of bursectomy on the development of acquired immunity to coccidiosis in young broiler chickens was examined. Bursectomy was produced by a combination injection of testosterone at 12 days of embryonation and cyclophosphamide at 1 and 2 days after hatching. Immunity to coccidiosis developed in bursectomized chickens immunized with commercially prepared vaccine (CocciVac D) as were measured by resistance to challenge infection at either 6 or 10 weeks of age. Bursectomy had no marked effect on the development of cell-mediated immunity as measured by delayed type hypersensitivity to coccidial oocyst. Since the cell-mediated immune response was not inhibited in the bursectomized chickens, this response was necessary for the development of acquired immunity to coccidiosis.
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Giambrone et al. (1981) studied this question.
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