T. H. Vardaman

Preparation of Mycoplasma synoviae hemagglutinating antigen and its use in the hemagglutination-inhibition test.

SUMMARY A satisfactory hemagglutinating (HA) antigen was produced from isolate WVU 1853 of M. synoviae grown in a mycoplasma broth formulated by Frey. The HA antigen, employed in the HI test, showed good specificity in differentiating M. synoviae from M. gallisepticum infection. There was no drop in HA titer when the antigen was stored at -65 C for 4 months. When the antigen was stored at -13 C or higher, the drop in HA titer increased as the length of time in storage increased. When 4 units of antigen were used per tube in the HI test, the HI results closely agreed with those of the original antigen stored at -65 C, which had no loss in HA titer.

A CULTURE MEDIUM FOR THE PRODUCTION OF MYCOPLASMA GALLISEPTICUM ANTIGEN

organisms. Optical density has been used as an index of the growth of Mycoplasma. In 1954, Keller and Morton (10) used turbidity and colony counting in determining the amount of growth of Mycoplasma of human origin. Rodwell (11) used optical density to estimate the growth of M. mycoides. Gill, (6) in 1962, used optical density as one method of measuring the growth of M. gallisepticum. This paper concerns the development of an improved culture medium for the growth of M. gallisepticum, with optical density used to measure growth. MATERIALS AND METHODS

Preparation of Mycoplasma synoviae antigen for the tube agglutination test

A satisfactory tube antigen was produced from isolate WVU 1853 Mycoplasma synoviae grown in a modification of mycoplasma broth formulated by Frey. The tube antigen, employed in the tube test, showed good specificity when tested with 187 known M.-synoviae-positive serums, 60 known M.-gallisepticum-positive, and 30 normal. The serums were confirmed by HI test as being positive or negative to M. synoviae or M. gallisepticum.