Demonstration of circulatinf antibodies to Eimeria tenella by the indirect immunofluorescent antibody test using sprozoites and second-stage schizonts as antigen

In the indirect immunofluorescent antibody (IFA) test using sporozoites as an antigen, sera from chickens immunized via the natural route were positive in dilutions as high as 1 : 1 048. Serum from a rabbit, immunized only to sporozoites by subcuntaneous injection, was positive in a dilution of 1 : 4 4 096. Non-immunized chicken andn rabbit sera were positive in dilutions varying from 1 : 20 to 1 : 64.Sporozoites within sporocytes were not stained. In frozen sections of infected chorioallantoic membranes and ceca, sporozoites were not traced with the IFA test with immunized chicken or rabbit sera. However, with the rabbit serum specific diffuse intraepithelial and subepithelial fluorescence was observed in the ceca from 4 to 11 h after infection.Fluorescence was never associated with the first-stage schzonts and gamates, but second-stage schizonts were positive with both chicken and rabbit serum. The titres obtained with this antigen were about the same as those obtained with sporozoite smears. The possible presence of common antigens in sporozoites and second stage schizints is discussed.