Hemorrhagic Enteritis of Turkeys. Antiserum: Efficacy, Preparation, and Use

Intestinal and splenic lesions of experimentally produced hemorrhagic enteritis of turkeys were prevented by administering convalescent antiserum. Protection varied with antiserum quality and time of administration after infection. In general, 1.0 to 0.5 ml per poult prevented all lesions and as little as 0.25 to 0.1 ml prevented intestinal lesions when administered within 48 hours of injection of the virus inoculum. Adding phenol to antiserum did not reduce its effectiveness. Convalescent antiserum was useful in controlling field hemorrhagic enteritis.