A long-term serological study of a flock of chickens naturally infected with Salmonella pullorum.

The serological reactions of a group of chickens naturally infected with Salmonella pullorum were observed for one year. The conventional whole blood test, rapid slide test and tube agglutination test were used in the study and compared with the microagglutination and microantiglobulin tests. Results of the whole blood rapid slide and tube agglutination tests were as consistent as those produced with the microagglutination and microantiglobulin tests in detecting one third of the birds as reactors. However, for the detection of antibody to S pullorum among the remaining birds, the microantiglobulin test proved to be significantly more consistently positive than all the other tests, the results of which fluctuated widely. The potential value of the microantiglobulin test for the eradication of S pullorum in cases of persistent infection is discussed.