Dissertation :Diploma in Poultry Medicine and Production

The Organization and Use of a Serological Monitoring Service for the Poultry Industry
Paul Mc Mullin MVB DPMP MRCVS
Poultry Health Services
Marsh Lane, Hemingford Grey,
Huntingdon, Cambs PE18 9EN
  Note for Diploma Candidates:This copy of the dissertation
and accompanying case-histories were prepared for the
RCVS library after the examination. The author is identified
and appropriate acknowledgements cited. Materials to be
presented for examination should however, be anonymous.
Acknowledgments should be provided separately
(see examination regulations for further details)

Acknowledgements

Thanks are due to:
  To poultry company management and farm staff for their enthusiastic help in collecting samples and some of the information presented here
  To my colleague K.R. Gooderham for helpful suggestions.
  To my advisor S. Lister for helpful comments during the preparation of this material.
  To M.Phipps for much of the serological work and helpful comments on the development of the computer system.
   
  Hemingford Grey, June 1st 1995 ______________________________________

Table of Contents

     
  Preface  
  Summary  
Section 1. Background  
  Introduction  
  The Immune System and its response  
  A brief history of serological monitoring in poultry  
     
  Statistical Basis of Sampling  
  Obtaining the blood sample  
  Sample storage and handling  
  Yolk sampling for serology  
  Sample Submission  
  Serological Archive  
Section 2. Common Serological Tests  
  Agglutination  
  Anti-globulin - Coombes Tests  
  Precipitation  
  Haemagglutination Inhibition  
  Immunofluorescence  
  Enzyme-Linked Immuno-Sorbent Assay (Elisa)  
     
  Serological Methods:Possible Future Developments:  
  Assay Quality Control  
  A Computerized Poultry Serology System  
  Clinical Interpretation  
  Inherent Limitations of Serological Tests  
Section 3. Practical Applications of Poultry Serology  
  Introduction  
  Serological patterns in broiler parent chickens in the U.K.  
  Serological patterns in broilers in the U.K.  
  Serological Patterns in Layers  
  Vaccination Date Prediction for Gumboro Disease  
     
  References  
     
  Appendix A: Notes on the avian immune system.  
  Appendix B Titre group calculation/Control sera results  
  Appendix C. Serology Computer System Documentation  
  Appendix D - VDP and Yolk samples Not part of original dissertation