Isolation of serovar C-3 Haemophilus paragallinarum from Zimbabwe: a further indication of the need for the production of vaccines against infectious coryza containing local isolates of H. paragallinarum

Abstract

Various isolates of Haemophilus paragallinarum, collected from a severe outbreak of infectious coryza in poultry from Zimbabwe, were serotyped and were found to belong to serovar C-3. Previously, isolates were serotyped using polyclonal antiserum produced against serogroup reference strains (0083 for serogroup A, 0222 for serogroup B and Modesto, or H-18 for serogroup C) of H. paragallinarum. In this case, polyclonal antiserum produced against these reference isolates were used, as well as polyclonal antiserum that has been raised specifically against the serovar C-3 isolate 46 C-3. When using the latter serum at a 1 in 50 dilution, no cross-reaction with other members of serogroup C were found. The severity of the disease outbreak in Zimbabwe, the vaccination history of the infected flocks on the sites and the isolation of the uniquely southern African serovar C-3, further highlights the need for vaccines composed of local isolates to control infectious coryza in regions where vaccination failures occur.