Relationships between virulence and morphological or serological properties of variants dissociated from serotype 1...

Relationships between morphological or serological properties and virulence were investigated in seven Haemophilus paragallinarum variants. The variants, originated from five serotype 1 strains, were classified into seven types on the basis of colony morphology and iridescence and the presence of variant-specific antigens. Smooth (S) and encapsulated organisms having variant-specific antigens and forming highly iridescent (ir+) colonies were highly virulent in vivo; slightly encapsulated organisms having variant-specific antigens and forming slightly iridescent (ir +/-) colonies were moderately virulent; and nonencapsulated or slightly encapsulated organisms with or without variant-specific antigens and forming noniridescent (ir-) or ir +/- colonies were avirulent. Virulence was well correlated with the amount of capsule substance containing hyaluronic acid. The evidence suggests that the presence of variant-specific agglutinogen L and hemagglutinin HA-L seem to be responsible for adherence or colonization, but not for virulence, of the organisms in chickens.