Development and evaluation of a latex agglutination test for the detection of Mycoplasma gallisepticum antibodies in chicken sera

A rapid whole cell protein antigen (iron restricted Mycoplasma gallisepticum) based latex agglutination test (LAT) was developed to detect the presence of anti-Mycoplasma gallisepticum antibodies in the sera of poultry affected with mycoplasmosis. The test was found to be sensitive, specific and accurate in comparison with Haemagglutination Inhibition (HI) test. The rapidity, simplicity and economics of the LAT were found to fulfill the requirements of a screening test for Mycoplasma gallisepticum antibodies.