EVALUATION OF NIRIDAZOLE AS A SUPPRESSANT OF CELLULAR IMMUNITY IN CHICKENS

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  • 1 January 1978
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 39  (11) , 1858-1860
Abstract
Niridazole was administered by gavage to 5 wk old chickens at dosages of 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg body wt. The 2 larger dosage levels were toxic and resulted in the death of many of the recipients. The 50 mg/kg dosage level was not lethal, but depressed weight gain. Cellular immune functions were measured by responses of lymphocytes in whole blood to T[thymus-derived]-cell mitogens and by delayed hypersensitivity reactions to tuberculin. Blastogenic responses to phytohemagglutinin and concanavalin A were reduced in niridazole-treated chickens as much as 96.5% when compared with responses of controls. Wattle tests measuring delayed hypersensitivity were positive only in control chickens; reactions in niridazole-treated chickens did not differ from nonimmunized controls.