Serum Antibody Products
Posted by Michael D. Piontkowski, DVM on 5/2/2001 to
C&D ANTITOXIN
Serum antibody products are as the name implies, derived from serum, the fraction of whole blood that contains the disease-fighting proteins known as antibodies. Antibodies are produced by normal animals in response to an antigen (in our case, bacteria or bacterial toxins) and are very specific for that antigen. An antigen, in the presence of its specific antibodies is destroyed or neutralized. The end result is an animal immune to that antigen. One way to produce antibodies (immunity) is to vaccinate, but that takes time. An alternate method to produce immunity is to provide the actual antibodies in a ready-to-use format, or a serum antibody product.
Clostridium Perfringens in Domestic Farm Animals
Posted by Michael D. Piontkowski, DVM on 4/2/2001 to
CLOSTRIDIUM PERFRINGENS
Clostridium perfringens is a spore forming, anaerobic bacteria widely distributed in the soil and the digestive tract of many domestic animals. Six Types (A, B, C, D, E and F) have been identified on the basis of the toxins produced, with Types B, C and D being the most commonly associated with disease in domestic animals. Vaccines and antitoxins that produce protection to Types C (Alpha and Beta toxins) and D (Alpha and Epsilon toxins) will also protect against Type B (Alpha, Beta and Epsilon toxins).