AVIDITY OF CHICKEN YOLK ANTIBODIES TO ENTEROTOXIGENIC ESCHERICHIA-COLI FIMBRIAE

The yolk antibodies from chickens and the serum and colostrum antibodi es from cows were obtained after immunization of these animals with in activated bacterin or purified K99 fimbriae from enterotoxigenic Esche richia coli (ETEC). The avidity of anti-K99 fimbriae antibodies produc ed from either chickens or cows was measured by competitive binding as say of ELISA. The yolk antibodies competed strongly with the serum and colostrum antibodies from immunized cows and inhibited 40 to 80% of t he binding of these antibodies. Results demonstrate that the avidity o f antibodies obtained from immunized chickens compares with that obtai ned from immunized cows. Thus, the yolk antibody from immunized chicke ns, aside from its use for prophylaxis against some infectious disease s, may also serve as effective ligand for purification of biologically active substances such as fimbrial antigens by affinity chromatograph ic procedures.