Tissue irritation induced in turkeys by fowl cholera bacterins.

Inflammation is frequent at the site of injection in turkeys vaccinated with various commercial fowl cholera bacterins. Seven commercial and three laboratory bacterins were compared in 12week-old turkeys as to extent and severity of irritation with 3 routes of injection: subcutaneous, intradermal, and intramuscular. Commercial fowl cholera bacterins, particularly those with paraffin oil as the adjuvant, varied greatly in the irritation produced. The amount appeared consistent with the bacterin or adjuvant and somewhat independent of route of injection. The reaction to selected bacterins was comparable in 4-week-old turkeys to that in 12-weekolds. The reaction was usually less severe at 15 days postinjection than at 5 days. The intradermal route gave the most consistent results, probably because less bacterin diffused from the injection site, yet the amount of reaction was still not sufficiently consistent to be used quantitatively. Reaction to a given bacterin or adjuvant varied the most with the subcutaneous route.