Turkey macrophage and heterophil bactericidal activity against Pasteurella multocida

Bactericidal activity of turkey macrophages and heterophils was demonstrated in an in vitro colorimetric bactericidal assay. Two vaccine strains and one field isolate of Pasteurella multocida A:3,4 and a single isolate each of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus were compared for susceptibility to the bactericidal activity of turkey macrophages and heterophils. Only P. multocida A:3,4-strain M-9 (the least virulent strain) was susceptible to macrophage bactericidal activity in the absence of specific immune serum, whereas all three P. multocida A:3,4 organisms were killed when opsonized with specific immune serum. E. coli was susceptible to the bactericidal activity of macrophages, and S. aureus was resistant. All bacteria tested were highly sensitive to the bactericidal activity of intact turkey heterophils, regardless of the opsonin treatment. Electron microscopic findings suggested that heterophils may kill extracellular P. multocida. Only S. aureus and E. coli were killed by lysed heterophils.