Chlamydia latex agglutination antigen and protocol improvement and psittacine bird anti-chlamydial immunoglobulin reactivity

Latex agglutination detection of chlamydial antibody activity in psittacine bird sera was significantly more sensitive when an improved protocol was followed than was a test using the previously used protocol. Titers of antibody-positive sera were fourfold to 32-fold higher by the improved protocol than titers by the previously used protocol, whereas antibody-negative sera were negative by both protocols. Column chromatography was used to separate immunoglobulins in psittacine bird serum. immunoglobulin M was reactive in latex agglutination (LA) but non-reactive in direct complement fixation (DCF). Immunoglobulin G was reactive in LA and DCF. The fifth supernatant fluid of serum multiply absorbed with latex beads was non-reactive in IA and DCF. The immunoglobulins reactive in LA had high avidity and affinity for latex beads. Prolonged storage at 4 C to 6 C preserved LA reactivity of adsorbed immunoglobulins better than storage at 21 C to 23 C