Determining the serotypes of Pasteurella multocida strains isolated from poultry

One hundred twenty three Pasteurella multocida strains isolated fi om poultry were submitted for serotyping, Capsular antigens were determined using the indirect haemagglutination test by Carter Specific antisera against capsular groups: A, B, D, and F in rabbits were produced. Somatic antigens were determined by means of the diffusion precipitation test in agar gel according to Heddleston. Specific immune antisera against 16 heat-stable somatic antigens were made by the immunization of chickens. It was discovered that the capsular antigens belonging to groups A and D occured in 68.3% and 1.6% of the isolates, respectively. However, 30.1% of the isolates did not reveal the presence of the capsular antigen. Of 123 P. multocida strains, 66.6% belonged to serotype 1, 26% to serotype 3 and 6.5% belonged to four rarely occuring serotypes: 5, 6, 8, and 10. One isolate (0.8%) was unclassifiable. Subsequently, the strains were presented according to the place of their origin. It was discovered that strains of serotype 1 occured in poultry in the whole country, and strains of serotype 3 were isolated primarily in Gdansk, Bialystok, Warsaw, and Bydgoszcz provinces.