Evaluating Response SINCE 1970, virulent strains of New castle disease have produced severe worldwide losses in poultry. If the dis ease becomes so widespread in the United Stales that it cannot he eradi cated, an economical means of eval uating vaccination procedures will be come necessary. Present methods of vaccination have had highly varied results. Scientists think this extreme variability may be due to the particular strain and po tency of the vaccine as well as the route of administration. In studies at ARS’ Southeast Poultry Research Laboratory in Athens, Ga., a simple and rapid microtest procedure was evaluated for measuring response of poultry to Newcastle vaccination. During a year’s application in at least one large diagnostic laboratory in Geor gia, the manual-miciotest hemaggluti nation-inhibition (HI) procedure proved to be a very satisfactory com promise between the old test tube method fmacrotesting) and a highly automated and expensive microtest method. The automated microtest method uses a machine costing $5,000 to 86,000 which automatically adds re agents and makes the dilutions. Hemagglutination (HA) is the clumping reaction of red blood cells when suspended in a liquid that con tains Newcastle disease virus. Specific antibodies directed against that virus will inhibit the hemagglutination. ARS researchers employed commer cially available manual microtest equip ment in conjunction with inactivated HA antigen in the modified procedure. In many laboratories, the HI test often involves highly virulent HA antigens which may serve as a source of con tamination in virus isolation attempts. Blood samples were obtained with syringe and needle either from the wing vein of the chicken or by cardiac punc ture and then placed in tubes treated with a silicone solution to aid in clot release. After clotting was adequate and the serum had been chilled at 4° C., sometimes overnight, it was harvested with disposable glass pipettes and placed in microtest plates. Similar plates were prepared for serum dilution by adding antigen-saline mixture to each well. The sera were di- The friendly people in historic Strasburg where personalized service is a tradition. “Friendly” is more than a slogan at the Friendly First It’s our people And our way of helping you with every banking need Whether you’re 19 or 90' Whether you’re arranging a loan opening our famous no-service charge checking account saving a lot or a little or planning your estate Find out how friendly we are Everytime’ And come m for a free cup of coffee Anytime l At any Friendly office THE BANK WITH NO-SERVICE-CHARGE CHECKING ACCOUNTS STRASBURG EAST KING STREET WILLOW STREET BUCK 617-6611 LANCASTER 464-3421 214-4175 397-4732 Hke First (feowfe ofr Stnoiburuj, To Newcastle Vaccine luted until there was lack of inhibition of agglutination—evidenced by a dis tinct “button” of red blood cells in the bottom. From this end point the anti body titers were determined. Using stock inactivated antigen and washed red blood cells which have been piepared in advance, an experienced technician can test as many as 700 sera in approximately 7 hours. The serum-storage plate, developed by Southeast Poultry Research Labora tory scientist Dr. James E. Williams and biological laboratory technician Alton D. Whittemore, occupies min- American Model Crop Dryer Because of the additional acreage planted this year, major grain growers are turning to larger capacity crop dryers. One that is proving extremely popular is the American Model 2420. According to the manufacturer, the 2420 can dry up to 11,400 bushels in 24 hours, removing 5 points of moisture, from 20 percent to MEMBER FO 1C Lancaster Farming, Saturday. Sept. 7,1974 — imum frce/cr space and allows simul taneous pickup .and dilution of 12 sera, utilizing 12 microdiluters to each mi< rodilutcr handle. Equipment costs are If' times less for the compromise manual method than for the automated microtcst method. 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