The influence of adjuvants on the immunological response of the chicken. I. Effects on primary and secondary responses of various adjuvants in the primary stimulus.

The effect of various adjuvant procedures on the antibody response (first 21 days) for human serum albumin (HSA) has been studied in the chicken. The lack of effect on the circulating antibody level contrasts with their action in some mammals. The administration of depot-type adjuvants failed to increase the peak circulating antibody levels (8–12 days after injection of antigen) by comparison with control birds. However, the circulating antibody level declined more slowly in birds given HSA in a water-in-oil emulsion than in birds given HSA in saline. The administration of endotoxin and `surface active' adjuvants also failed to increase the peak circulating antibody levels over that of control birds. In three experiments there was significant depression of peak antibody levels in birds given endotoxin adjuvant in comparison to control birds. The administration of HSA in Freund's complete adjuvants containing Mycobacterium tuberculosis or Mycobacterium avium did not result in elevation of peak antibody levels compared to those of control birds given HSA in saline or HSA in a water-in-oil emulsion. Experiments to determine the effect of adjuvants from each of the main groups on the establishment of immunological memory were performed. Chickens were given adjuvant with the primary injection of HSA. A second injection of HSA without adjuvant was given 56 days later. None of the adjuvants used produced an increase in the peak antibody level attained during the secondary response compared to control birds.