Evidence for Clostridium septicum as a primary cause of cellulitis in commercial turkeys.

Etiology and methods of immunoprophylaxis against common field cellulitis in commercial turkeys were evaluated. It was determined that intravenous administration ( approximately 10(8) cells/ml) of 1 of 4 isolates of Clostridium septicum from cellulitis lesions rapidly caused the classic lesions of cellulitis followed by death within 36 hr at high doses. When the supernatant alone was injected into turkey poults, signs of depression and ataxia were temporarily observed for up to 20 hr after injection, but no cellulitis lesions were detected. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was developed to measure antibody levels against the isolated C. septicum. This assay was used to predict susceptibility to infection. An experimental formalin-killed bacterin/toxoid was produced from the challenge strain of C. septicum with inactivation timed to allow toxin accumulation and approximately 10(8) cells/ml. This bacterin/toxoid given at day of hatch generated a rapid and persistent antibody response against the homologous C. septicum in the vaccinated birds at 9 weeks (P < 0.001). The ability of this experimental vaccine to protect birds in the field as well as its ability to evaluate unvaccinated flocks to establish the time of seroconversion and the relationship to clinical disease are currently under evaluation.