title: Influence of hormonal and chemical bursectomy on the development of acquired immunity to coccidia in broiler chickens.
abstract: 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.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002060:Bursa of Fabricius / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology* / Q000502:physiology; D002645:Chickens / Q000276:immunology; D003048:Coccidiosis / Q000662:veterinary*; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000494:pharmacology; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D004539:Eimeria / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D007109:Immunity; D007243:Infectious bursal disease virus / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D009522:Newcastle disease virus / Q000276:immunology; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000276:immunology*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000494:pharmacology; D014612:Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D014612:Vaccines; D013739:Testosterone; D003520:Cyclophosphamide