The efficacy of a temperature-sensitive mutant vaccine against Northwest Arkansas isolates of Alcaligenes faecalis.

ABSTRACT

The efficacy of a commercially produced temperature-sensitive mutant Alcaligenes faecalis vaccine was evaluated in turkeys contact-challenged with one of three strains of A. faecalis. In the vaccinated control group, the vaccine strain of A. faecalis colonized the nasal turbinates but not the trachea, caused no clinical signs of turkey coryza, and induced humoral antibodies. In the vaccinated challenged groups, the vaccine reduced both the severity of lesions and the number of birds exhibiting lesions compared with unvaccinated challenged groups, but it did not prevent colonization of challenge strains of A. faecalis.