Abstract
Two or three graded infections with oocysts of Eimeria acervulina, E. tenella, E. necatrix and E. maxima produced a resistance to further infection with the immunizing species. The oocyst output after the second infection, in each case, was lower than that after the initial dose indicating the substantial immunizing effect of the initial infection. The species could be placed in a descending order of immunizing activity as follows: E. maxima, E. acervulina, E. tenella and E. necatrix. A solid immunity to the immunizing species in no way prevented the development of an additional infection, here referred to as `cross-infection', with any of the species studied.
Serum precipitins were produced in infections with all four species, the response to infection with E. necatrix being less marked than to the other species. A first challenge of immune fowls with the immunizing species produced some increase in precipitation in agar whereas a second challenge had no such effect; the significance of this lack of response is discussed. Usually, fowls immunized against one species and then infected with an additional one, produced serum precipitins which reacted only with the antigen of the additional species. But E. tenella immunized fowls, when given an additional infection with E. necatrix, produced precipitins that reacted with antigens of both species. The same was also true when E. necatrix immunized fowls were infected with E. tenella.
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