Twenty monoclonal antibodies (MCAs) prepared against the velogenic GB-Texas strain of Newcastle disease virus (NDV) and the type 1 pigeon paramyxovirus (PPMV-1) were characterized and examined as potential immunodiagnostic reagents. All MCAs generated were found to bind specifically, but with varying reactivity, to various NDV strains in direct binding assays. In addition, MCA 15C4 neutralized and inhibited hemagglutination (HA) of all lentogenic, mesogenic, and velogenic NDV strains tested but not the PPMV-1 strain. Antibody 10D11 also inhibited HA activity, but inhibition was more selective and limited to the mesogenic and domestic or indigenous velogenic strains of NDV. MCA 79 reacted in all serologic assays with an antigenic site common to all serotype 1 avian paramyxoviruses. Passive immunization studies involving three different neutralizing MCAs (35, 79, and 15C4) showed that enhanced, but not complete, protection against virulent NDV challenge was provided when the three MCAs were administered in combination.

A monoclonal antibody, AVS-I, was produced from a hybridization of murine myeloma cells and splenocytes from mice immunized with the La Sota strain of Newcastle disease virus (NDV). The hybridoma producing AVS-I, selected from 184 NDV-positive supernatants, is one of two supernatants that reacted exclusively with lentogenic strains in an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. AVS-I can also be assayed by hemagglutination-inhibition (HI), which was used to test selected reference avian paramyxovirus (PMV) strains of types 1 to 3. NDV vaccines La Sota and B1 and field isolates from chickens, turkeys, pigeons, and cockatoos were also used as antigens. AVS-I had a high binding affinity for all La Sota and B1 strains, including vaccines. The antibody bound with a lower titer to the Australian Queensland V4 and Ulster strains, but it did not bind to the F strain, a lentogenic strain from England. AVS-I was HI-negative against the other PMV reference strains. AVS-I may be valuable for identifying field isolates antigenically similar to La Sota and B1 and rapidly differentiate those vaccine strains from more virulent viruses.

Cell smears of chicken-embryo-fibroblast (CEF) cultures and bursa of Fabricius from chickens experimentally infected with six different strains of infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) were examined for the presence of IBDV by the avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex method of immunoperoxidase (IP) staining using a monoclonal antibody specific for IBDV designated BK70. IBDV of different strains and serotypes were readily detected by the IP method in cell smears prepared from infected CEF cultures and from bursas. Bursal cells were positive for IP stain in most of the infected bursas (87.5%), despite their mild IBD lesions. Positive IP staining of bursal smears was well correlated with the recovery of IBDV from the bursas and with IBD lesions in the bursas. IP stain with a monoclonal antibody (BK70) appeared potentially useful for rapid and definitive diagnosis of IBD.

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) for the serologic detection of both antigen and antibody in monitoring programs of commercial poultry flocks have begun to be recognized as an improvement over more conventional diagnostic procedures. The feasibility of employing double-antibody sandwich assays for the detection of virus without prior isolation of virus has been demonstrated and shows promise as the method of choice for the detection of lymphoid leukosis virus shedding. The versatility of indirect ELISA for the measurement of antibody induced by a wide variety of potential pathogens using a single basic overlapping ELISA system has also been demonstrated. It shows potential as a likely candidate to replace some of the more costly and time-consuming or less sensitive conventional serologic methods that do not overlap. Although some aspects of the two major types of immunoassays currently used in poultry health may need some modifications or improvements before delivery for routine use, it is likely that the use of computer-assisted ELISA will gain increased acceptance and use as the preferred way to efficiently and accurately monitor the health of poultry flocks on a broad scale.

This paper describes the development of an indirect immunoperoxidase assay (IIP) and an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for detecting antibodies to chicken anemia virus (VAC). The IIP assay developed used CAV-infected MDCC-MSB1 cells for detecting antibody to CAV, whereas the ELISA utilized gradient-purified immunoadsorbed CAV as the target antigen. The IIP and ELISA were compared with the standard indirect immunofluorescent antibody (IFA) assay, which is more conventionally used to screen chicken serum for antibodies against CAV. Comparative test results of 185 field samples of chicken serum by these three methods were in agreement 84% of the time. Both IFA and IIP assays yielded fewer positive tests than did the ELISA. IFA and IIP assays were in agreement 93% of the time, as compared with 91% agreement of IIP and ELISA results, or 84% agreement for comparative IFA and ELISA results.