Type-specific Capsular Swelling of Meningococci by Chicken Antiserum

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Abstract
Adult chickens were injd. 4 or 5 times at weekly intervals with doses of 2-4 billion living meningococci from 4- to 18-hr. cultures. Bleedings were taken 1-4 weeks later. Type-specific agglutinins were demonstrable in the antisera prepd. versus Types I, II and II a, the titers ranging from 40 to 320. In the case of Types I and II a meningococci the homologous antisera also exhibited type-specific capsular swelling. The breed and sex of the fowl did not influence the success of immunization and all birds tolerated the meningococci well. It appears that capsular swelling may be produced with sera from chickens as well as from rabbits or horses. Furthermore, chickens can be used to prepare quellung sera for bacteria to which the rabbit or horse may not respond favorably.

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