EFFICACY OF ALUMINUM HYDROXIDE-ADJUVANTED ESCHERICHIA-COLI BACTERIN IN TURKEY POULTS

Aluminum hydroxide-adjuvanted Escherichia coli bacterins were evaluate d for efficacy in protecting turkeys against homologous challenge. In each of six trials involving four different E. coli serotypes, poults in one group received a single subcutaneous injection at 1 day of age, poults in a second group were vaccinated twice at 1 and 14 days of ag e, and those in a third nonvaccinated group served as controls. Vaccin ated and control turkeys were challenged at 4 wk of age and survivors were necropsied 1 wk later Mortality and gross lesion scores of both v accinated groups were compared with those of the nonvaccinated group. Poults vaccinated twice had significantly lower mortality and less sev ere gross lesions than poults receiving no vaccine prior to challenge. Immunization with one or two injections of aluminum hydroxide-adjuvan ted E. coli bacterin did not impair weight gain of poults.