Influence of Campylobacter jejuni cecal colonization on immunoglobulin response in chickens.
The immunoglobulin response of chickens to colonization by Campylobacter jejuni isolates B-540 and Clin-1 was monitored. Chicken humoral IgG and biliary secretory IgA (sIgA) responses were assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Samples were taken from 128 C. jejuni-colonized chickens and 104 uncolonized chickens housed in a controlled environment. An indirect ELISA was performed using the homologous isolate of C. jejuni as the capture antigen and was developed with the specific goat anti-chicken IgG or IgA alkaline phosphatase conjugates. The ELISA absorbance values of the test samples at 405 nm (serum diluted 1:32 and bile diluted 1:10) were normalized in direct proportion to standard sera and bile sample values. In the colonized chickens, humoral IgG activities were highest at hatch, dropped to their lowest level after 2 weeks, and increased by 8 weeks to levels similar to those detected at hatch. The sIgA activity was lowest at hatch and increased by 4 weeks in colonized chickens while remaining lower in the control chickens. Chickens colonized with isolate B-540 showed a primary sIgA response during the first 4 weeks and reached a plateau over the final 4 weeks. In spite of these limited humoral and secretory immunoglobulin responses, once the chicken ceca was colonized by C. jejuni, the organism persisted throughout the 8-week experiment.
Myszewski
M A
MA
Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Georgia, Athens 30606.
Stern
N J
NJ
D000818:Animals; D001646:Bile / Q000276:immunology; D002169:Campylobacter Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000662:veterinary; D016123:Campylobacter jejuni / Q000254:growth & development / Q000276:immunology*; D002353:Carrier State / Q000276:immunology / Q000662:veterinary; D002432:Cecum / Q000382:microbiology*; D002645:Chickens / Q000276:immunology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D007071:Immunoglobulin A, Secretory / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000276:immunology
D007071:Immunoglobulin A, Secretory; D007074:Immunoglobulin G