Maternal protection against Ascaridia galli?

Maternally derived antibodies can provide partial protection against certain bacterial and viral infections. We investigated whether chicks descending from nematode-infected hens are more resistant against Ascaridia galli, a prevalent gastrointestinal nematode, than chicks from nematode-free mothers. One-day-old chicks (N = 153) from infected (mab+; maternal antibody+) or uninfected control dams (mab-) were experimentally infected with A. galli at two different levels (100 or 1000 eggs/chick). The worm burdens of the chicks were determined at 6 weeks post infection. There was a high correlation (r = 0.89) between A. galli-specific antibody concentrations in dam plasma and egg yolk. There was no difference between worm burdens of chicks descending from infected or uninfected dams (P = 0.892), indicating no maternally derived protection against A. galli. Chicks receiving the higher infection dose had higher worm burdens (P < 0.05). Although there was no difference (P > 0.05) between worm counts of female and male chicks infected with 100 eggs, females chicks infected with 100 eggs harboured longer and heavier female worms. We conclude that there is no protective maternal immunity against A. galli infection.