Preparation of Necrotic Enteritis Vaccine for Turkey

Abstract

Clostridium perfringens is the most important cause of enteritis in domestic animals, in chicken and turkey it well known as pathogen responsible for necrotic enteritis; hepatitis, and cholecystitis. The disease in turkey characterize by either severe form with high rate of mortalities or subclinical form of reduce growth rate and increase condemnation rate. The major factor responsible for pathogenicity of Clostridium perfringens was alpha toxin. The aim of present study was to prepare of Clostridium perfringens alpha Toxoid vaccine for controlling the necrotic enteritis disease. The vaccine was prepared at different doses depend on lethality of toxin (24, 48 and 96 Minimum Lethal Dose) for controlling necrotic enteritis disease. Antibody titer elicited by vaccination was measured by toxin neutralization test, ELISA, and challenge test. It revealed that antibody titer expressed by international antitoxin unit per ml was 7.4, 4.1 and 1.26 respectively according to the mentioned dose, and also the protection percent against challenge was 100% when vaccinated with either 48 or 96 Minimum Lethal Dose, while it gave 80% when vaccinated with 24 Minimum Lethal Dose.It concluded that use of Clostridium perfringens alpha Toxoid with recommended dose of 48 MLD able to protect turkey for 6 months.