Steven R. Brown1, DVM; Claire B. Ardreasen2, DVM, PhD; Allen Monroe3, BS; Peter H. Noah3, BS
Facilities that maintain captive sea birds often experience problems with aspergillosis in their collections. Diagnosis and treatment is often difficult, expensive, labor intensive and often unrewarding. Of the five species of sea birds maintained at the Oregon Coast Aquarium tufted puffins (Lunda cirrhata) have demonstrated the highest morbidity to this disease.
In an effort to develop a prophylactic regime, a field trial was conducted using a "whole culture vaccine" of Aspergillus fuminatus. Ten adult clinically healthy tufted puffins were selected. All were ELISA tested for Aspergillus (titer 0.076-1.43) and had a normal serum protein electrophoresis (EPH) pattern. Within four hours of the three week booster two birds died of anaphylaxis. Twenty three weeks after the booster dose of vaccine one bird died of acute aspergillosis and renal amyloidosis. No appreciable protein stimulation was noted from post vaccination EPH.
A formalin killed whole culture of Aspergillus fumigatus suspended in mineral oil has shown promise in reducing the incidence of aspergillosis in turkey poults. In cooperation with the Gabhert Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota the following protocol was followed:
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Day 1
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Day 21
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Day 56
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EPH
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EPH
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a) baseline ELISA and EPH
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0.5ml SQ
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b) 0.5ml of vaccine administered subcutaneously (SQ)
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Results of the EPH are presented in table (1) and graph (1) below
Table 1
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Day 1
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TP94
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TP19
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TP96
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TP27
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TP62
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TP44
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TP34
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TP45
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TP02
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TP10
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Range/Mean
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Elisa
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0.85
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1.43
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0.104
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0.092
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0.076
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0.144
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0.082
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0.078
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0.082
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0.112
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Tp
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4.3
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3.4
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4.5
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4.6
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3.9
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4.3
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3.9
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3.5
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3.2
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3.1
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3.1-4.6/3.87
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Alb
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1.2
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1.1
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1.5
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1.5
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1.6
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1.3
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1.3
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1.3
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1.2
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1.1
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1.1-1.6/1.31
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Alpha 1
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0.3
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0.2
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0.2
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0.2
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0.2
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0.2
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0.1
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0.2
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0.1
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0.2
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0.1-0/3/0.19
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Alpha 2
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1.8
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1.3
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1.8
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1.7
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1.4
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1.9
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1.8
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1.5
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1.4
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1.5
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1.3-1.9.1.59
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Beta
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0.7
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0.4
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0.8
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1.1
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0.5
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0.6
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0.5
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0.4
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0.4
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0.3
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0.3-1.1/0.57
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gamma
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0.3
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0.2
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0.3
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0.1
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0.1
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0.3
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0.4
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0.2
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0.1
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0.0
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0.0-0.4/0.29
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Day 21
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Tp
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3.8
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3.6
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4.1
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3.6
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3.2
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3.4
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3.8
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3.7
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3.2
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3.2
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3.2-4.1/3.56
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Alb
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1.0
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1.0
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1.3
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1.3
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1.4
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1.1
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1.4
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1.2
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1.1
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1.4
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1.0-1.4/1.22
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Alpha 1
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0.1
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0.2
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0.1
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0.1
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0.1
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0.2
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0.2
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0.1
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0.2
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0.0
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0.0-0.2/.13
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Alpha 2
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1.8
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1.5
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1.6
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1.5
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1.3
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1.4
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1.7
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1.8
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1.4
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1.6
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1.4-1.8/1.58
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Beta
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0.5
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0.4
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0.7
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0.4
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0.2
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0.4
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0.2
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0.4
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0.3
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0.0
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0.0-0.7/.35
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gamma
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0.3
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0.4
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0.4
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0.3
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0.1
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0.3
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0.3
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0.2
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0.2
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0.1
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0.1-0.4/.26
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Day 56
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Tp
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3.4
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3.3
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3.5
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3.6
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3.3
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3.0
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3.1
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3.0-3.6/3.32
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Alb
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1.0
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1.3
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1.1
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1.1
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1.2
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1.1
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1.0
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1.0-1.3/1.12
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Alpha 1
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0.5
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0.1
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0.9
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0.8
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0.3
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0.3
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0.2
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0.1-09/0.45
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Alpha 2
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0.5
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1.3
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0.8
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0.9
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1.6
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0.7
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1.5
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0.5-1.6/1.05
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Beta
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0.8
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0.2
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0.4
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0.3
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0.1
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0.5
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0.3
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0.1-0.5/0.24
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gamma
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0.3
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0.3
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0.4
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0.1
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0.4
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0.1
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0.1-0.8/0.34
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Day 189
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Tp
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3.6
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Alb
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1.0
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Alpha 1
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0.3
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Alpha 2
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1.2
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Beta
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0.4
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gamma
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0.7
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Day 194 - death aspergillosis and renal amyloidosis
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Tp
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6.3
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Alb
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1.9
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Alpha 1
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1.2
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Alpha 2
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2.3
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Beta
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1.1
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gamma
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0.7
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| Figure | 
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Discussion: Over the fifty-six day course of the study the following can be noted: 20% of the population died of anaphylaxis; 10% of the population died of aspergillosis and renal amyloidosis; 90% of the population experienced a decrease in albumin; 70% of the population experienced a decrease in alpha 2 protein; 80% of the population experienced a decrease in beta protein; and 60% of the population experienced an increase in gamma protein. However if TP94 (died on day 194 of aspergillosis and renal amyloidosis) is not included in the day 56 comparison the mean gamma protein demonstrate no appreciable change.
In conclusion the authors do not recommend this "vaccine" in its current form be administered to tufted puffins.
References
1. Cray, C, Bossart, G. Harris. D, Plasma Protein Electrophoresis: Principles and Diagnosis of Infectious Disease. Proc Annu Conf Avian Vet 1995: 55-57.
2. Brown, PA, Redig Pt. Aspergillus ELISA: a tool for detection and management. Proc Ann Conf Avian Vet 1994; 295-300.
3. Redig, PT, Brown, P.A., Development of Aspergillus Vaccine Gabhert Raptor Center, University of Minnesota; unpublished.
4. Brown, S. Noah, P. Treatment of Aspergillosis in Sea Birds at Oregon Coast Aquarium, proc. IAAAM 1994; 118-120 Acknowledgment: Pat Redig, DVM, PhD Gabhert Raptor Center University of Minnesota.