The antigens of pigeon breeder's disease. I. Studies on unfractionated pigeon dropping extracts.

Approximately 6% of the dry organic dust from pigeon coops was extracted in the form of soluble, nondialyzable components. These pigeon dropping extracts contain a number of stable protein and glycoprotein antigens together with pigments and other components that cause nonspecific precipitation of normal and immune sera. Based on their migration in immunoelectrophoresis, the antigens have been designated PDEB, 1, 2, 3 or 4.