Attempts at transfer of immunity against Eimeria tenella in vitro and in vivo.

The spleen lymphocytes obtained from chickens immue against E. tenella were not able to prevent development of E. tenella when applied to chicken kideny cell cultures or intraperitoneally to isogenous healthy chickens. Only when both, lymphocytes and E. tenella sporozoites were injected simultaneously to peritoneal cavity of healthy chickens, the production of oocysts was negligible. Spleen lymphocytes of chickens probably do not play an important role in the immunity against Eimeria tenella coccidiosis.