Total haemolytic complement profile in chicks following fowl pox vaccination or infection.

Total haemolytic complement levels were assessed in normal, fowl pox-vaccinated or infected chicks using radial immune haemolysis up to 28 days post-treatment. Significantly lower values of total haemolytic complement were recorded 7-21 days post-vaccination or 21 days post-infection as compared to controls (p less than 0.05). The differences between intervals, the influence of the period of treatment were also significant, but the vaccinated chicks did not differ significantly from the infected ones (p less than 0.05). It is concluded that lower circulating levels of total haemolytic complement may be due to deposition of complement at the sites of virus replication.