The effect of microaerosolized H2O2 on bacterial and viral poultry pathogens was investigated. Bacterial cultures and viruses were dried on sterile glass Petri dishes and subjected to direct and indirect 5% (H2O2) microaerosol mist. In the trials using Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, there was complete inactivation following exposure to H2O2. Using Salmonella typhimurium, indirect exposure resulted in only partial inactivation whereas direct exposure to H2O2 gave complete inactivation. For the viruses studied, 5% H2O2 microaerosol mist completely inactivated infectious laryngotracheitis virus. Newcastle disease virus, infectious bronchitis virus, and avian influenza virus showed reduced infectivity but were not completely inactivated. Avian reovirus susceptibility varied with the method of exposure and infectious bursal disease virus was highly resistant. The use of 10% H2O2 mist, however, resulted in total inactivation of infectious bursal disease virus. The effect of 10% H2O2 on equipment and selected materials representative of a hatcher or poultry house was investigated. A solar cell calculator, a thermostat containing a microswitch, and samples of uncoated steel, galvanized steel, and uncoated aluminum were subjected to 10 fumigation cycles. No damage was detected in the calculator and the thermostat. Both the uncoated steel and the galvanized steel showed signs of oxidation. The aluminum did not show signs of oxidation.

A fusion protein containing a Drosophila choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) cDNA insert was purified from a lambda gtll lysate of Escherichia coli. The cDNA insert, which contained a 728-amino acid coding region for ChAT, was used for immunizing rabbits. Three different antisera were produced that could recognize native Drosophila ChAT with low titer. In addition, all three antisera stained enzyme polypeptides using the Western blot technique at high titers. The antisera recognized ChAT polypeptides with molecular masses of 67 and 54 kilodaltons in Western blots of partially purified enzyme; these polypeptides had previously been identified using monoclonal anti-ChAT antibodies and are the major components of completely purified enzyme. It was surprising that when these antisera were used to stain Western blots of Drosophila head homogenates, the major immunoreactive band had a molecular mass of 75 kilodaltons. The relationship of this 75-kilodalton polypeptide to ChAT activity was investigated by fractionating fresh fly head homogenates using rapid HPLC gel filtration chromatography. Analysis of column fractions for enzyme activity and immunoreactive polypeptides indicated that the 75- and 67-kilodalton polypeptides can be resolved and are both enzymatically active. In addition, a correlation was observed between the relative immunostaining intensities of both the 75- and 67-kilodalton bands and ChAT activity when supernatants from fresh fly head homogenates were autolyzed at 37 degrees C. Our results indicate that ChAT is present in fresh Drosophila heads primarily as an active enzyme with a molecular mass of 75 kilodaltons.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Twelve large white turkey hens were immunized with a commercially available Bordetella avium bacterin. Hens and eggs were tested using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to determine the response to the bacterin. Three hundred poults were then obtained from two commercial flocks, the hens of one flock having been immunized with the same bacterin used on the group of 12 turkeys. Titers of the poults were monitored for 7 weeks, and poults were challenged by exposure to infected poults at 1, 7, 14, and 21 days post-hatch. Hens produced an antibody response following immunization, with a parallel antibody response being detected in eggs. Maternal antibodies were present in poults from immunized hens. Poult titers declined to near the level of poults from unimmunized hens by 14 days of age. Poults from immunized hens challenged at 1 and 7 days were resistant to development of clinical disease and gross lesions, whereas all poults from unimmunized hens exhibited clinical signs and gross lesions. After 14 days, the resistance of both groups to development of clinical disease, became near equal, neither group being affected as severely as the unimmunized hens challenged at days 1 and 7. Six commercial turkey breeding flocks and their progeny that had not been vaccinated for B. avium and had no history of B. avium infection were evaluated with the B. avium ELISA. There were variations between the flocks, with poult titers reflecting those found in the hens.