Protection of ducklings with a broth-grown Pasteurella anatipestifer bacterin

Pasteurella anatipestifer (PA) serotypes 1, 2, and 5 grew to high densities in tryptic soy broth and tryptose broth (TB) when the media were continuously shaken or aerated. Growth in 100 ml to 15 liters of TB exceeded an absorbance of 1.0 at a wavelength of 525 nm (about 0.7 for a 1/3 dilution) and contained more than 10(10) colony-forming units per ml. A bacterin was prepared from the three serotypes of PA grown in aerated TB. Two subcutaneous injections of this bacterin protected 70% to 85% of ducklings against experimental challenge with each of the three PA serotypes, which killed 90% to 100% of unimmunized controls. The bacterin could be diluted 1/5 without decreasing protection below 80%. Field studies on Long Island duck farms in 1980 and 1981 demonstrated significant reductions in mortality with the use of the broth-grown PA bacterin.