Chicken Heterophil Chemotaxis Using Staphylococcus-Generated Chemoattractants

Abstract

Heterophil chemotaxis, in response to chemotactic factors generated by three different strains of staphylococcal bacteria, was measured using the modified Boyden-chamber technique. Heterophils were obtained from healthy 6-to-8-week-old broiler chickens. Each bacterial strain generated factors that were chemotactic for chicken heterophils. Factors generated by two pathogenic isolates of Staphylococcus aureus, however, induced significantly greater chemotaxis in chicken heterophils than those generated by a nonpathogenic Staphylococcus isolate.

Systemic staphylococcosis in partridge chicks

“…Histologically, the heterophilic infiltration was seen in affected organs following systemic staphylococcosis in partridge chicks. Andreasen et al (1993a) demonstrated that supernatants of pathogenic Staphylococcus aureus resulted in increased chemotaxis of heterophils. This finding can be correlated with the heterophilic infiltration.…”