A comparison of three Mycoplasma synoviae rapid plate agglutination antigens in experimental M. synoviae infection in...

The course of experimental Mycoplasma synoviae and Mycoplasma galli-septicum infections was followed in groups of chickens to compare the specificity and sensitivity of three, commercially available, Mycoplasma synoviae rapid plate antigens and to determine the development of rheumatoid factor-like antiglobulins in their serum. All three antigens were adequate in sensitivity but one of them, which was found to contain 7% serum albumen, had better specificity in that it was not agglutinated by chicken antiglobulins prepared against either pig globulin or culture medium. Examination of the non-specific reactivity of M. synoviae antigen preparations containing different concentrations of pig globulin or 7% bovine albumen showed that the presence of 7% albumen or globulin suppressed the speed of non-specific reactions. Antiglobulin activity using globulin-coated latex was detected in the serum of chickens up to 62 weeks after foot pad inoculation with M. synoviae ; specific antibody, on the other hand, was still present when the experiment was terminated at 107 weeks post-inoculation. A serologically-positive M. synoviae infection in chickens produced by contact with birds infected via the respiratory tract did not stimulate antiglobulins detectable by the Latex test.