Campylobacter microagglutination tests of swine with proliferative enteritis

A microagglutination test was developed to determine campylobacter titers in swine with proliferative enteritis. Formalinized whole cell antigens from 24 Campylobacter isolates, including C hyointestinalis (CHI), C sputorum ss mucosalis (CSM), C jejuni/coli (CJC), C fetus ss fetus (CFF), and C fecalis (CF), were tested with 9 rabbit antisera prepared against each of 3 strains of CHI, CSM, and CJC. The CHI appeared to be antigenically homogeneous. All 6 isolates of CHI agglutinated with homologous antisera at high dilutions and did not react with CSM antisera. Five of 6 isolates of CSM agglutinated with homologous antisera, whereas 1 isolate did not. Seven strains of CJC autoagglutinated in saline solution and various antisera. One of 3 CJC antisera, however, cross-reacted with CHI and CSM antigens at high dilutions. The antigens from 5 strains of CFF and CF did not react with CHI, CSM, and CJC antisera. A survey of sera from 1,052 adult pigs from production herds indicated that the majority had high titers to CHI and CSM (mean, in log2: CHI = 5.57, CSM = 6.05). Similar titers were found in weaned pigs from 3 herds with the disease and 2 of 3 herds without the disease. Pigs with confirmed lesions of proliferative enteritis, however, had low titers (mean in log2: CHI = 2.44, CSM = 3.11). Agglutinating antibodies to CHI and CSM were transmitted from farrowing gilts to neonatal pigs via colostrum. The acquired antibodies decayed to low levels in pigs at 4 weeks of age (mean in log2: CHI = 1.09, CSM = 1.27).