Production of Quellung Antisera in Chickens

Abstract

Antisera satisfactory in the Quellung reaction were prepd. for Klebsiella pneumoniae types A and B by injn. of adult chickens with formalinized suspensions of the encapsulated bacilli. As few as 4 injns. at weekly intervals were sufficient for this purpose. Effective antiserum was also prepd. for Hemophilus influenzae type B; capsular swelling was readily demonstrable with sera collected from chickens after 3 or 4 weekly injns. of living encapsulated organisms from young cultures, while sera from rabbits undergoing the same immunization schedule were distinctly inferior at this stage. Chickens are useful for the production of Quellung antisera, with particular advantages where Gram-negative bacteria are concerned, because the birds tolerate well the endotoxic substances which some of these microbial species produce.