Diagnosing Clostridium perfringens-associated necrotic enteritis in broiler flocks by an immunoglobulin G anti-alpha-toxin enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
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| Abstract |
The tools available for monitoring necrotic enteritis caused by Clostridium perfringens in broiler chickens have been limited, particularly for identifying subclinical disease. In this study, a modified enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to quantify levels of specific immunoglobulin G to C. perfringens alpha-toxin in serum from broilers. We found significantly higher antibody levels in broilers with a history of subclinical necrotic enteritis compared with a zinc-bacitracin-treated group with a low level of gut lesions. Furthermore, in 4.5-week-old commercial broiler flocks, there was an association between the occurrence of C. perfringens-associated hepatitis at slaughter and the immune response to alpha-toxin. Practical solutions for defining cut-off levels for positive serum samples at individual and flock levels are proposed, and were found to be useful on a set of samples available from flocks with different histories regarding the occurrence of C. perfringens-associated disease. This serological approach seems promising as a diagnostic tool in research and disease monitoring regarding C. perfringens-associated disease.
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| Authors | Atle Lovland, Magne Kaldhusdal, Liv Jorun Reitan |
| Journal | Avian pathology : journal of the W.V.P.A (Avian Pathol) Vol. 32 Issue 5 Pg. 527-34 (Oct 2003) ISSN: 0307-9457 [Print] England |
| PMID | 14522709 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't) |
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