COMPARISON OF SEROLOGICAL TESTS FOR DETECTION OF MYCOPLASMA-GALLISEPTICUM ANTIBODIES IN EGGS AND CHICKS HATCHED FROM EXPERIMENTALLY INFECTED HENS

Specific pathogen free hens and males were experimentally infected wit h Mycoplasma gallisepticum. Eggs were then collected, and a part was i ncubated and set for hatching. Mycoplasma cultures were performed on i nfected adults and antibodies to MG were analysed by use of slide aggl utination (SA) test and commercial ELISA tests on adults and chicks se ra and on yolks from non incubated eggs, Both ELISA tests could detect antibodies in yolks from non incubated eggs laid three weeks after in fection. SA and the three ELISA tests revealed positive sera in chicks hatched from eggs laid as soon as one week after infection. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V.