Development of microagglutination test for detecting Arizona hinshawii 7:1,7,8 infection in turkeys

A microagglutination antigen treated with tetrazolium dye was produced. The culture used was rendered nonmotile by growing in medium containing 1:1,000 concentration of phenol. A trial was conducted by infecting freshly hatched turkey poults with Arizona hinshawii 7:1,7,8. An equal number of poults were kept as negative controls. Starting with 4-week-old poults, blood samples, cloacal swabs, and environmental samples were obtained at 2-week intervals up to 16 weeks of age. The serum samples were tested by using tubeagglutination (TA), serum plate agglutination (SPA), and microagglutination (MA) tests for A hinshawii 7:1,7,8. A field trial was conducted, using known negative and infected turkey flocks, and serum samples were tested by MA, SPA, and TA tests. The results indicated that MA test was far more sensitive and superior to TA and SPA tests in detecting turkeys infected with A hinshawii 7:1,7,8. The field trial confirmed the laboratory trial observations.