Avian infectious bronchitis diagnosis using an enzyme immunoassay on nitrocelulose

Abstract

An enzyme immunoassay on nitrocellulose, immunoblot test (IBT) was used to detect antibodies in antisera prepared against different avian infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) strains. All antisera were tested against the M41 strain of IBV including an homologous antiserum to the M41 strain. Antisera were also tested against this IBV strain in the virus neutralization test (VNT) on chicken kidney cells and in the haemagglutination inhibition test (HI). The highest titres were achieved in the homologous reaction in all diagnostic systems used. The highest titres observed in either in the homologous or the heterologous reactions were chose with the IBT. In comparison with the VNT, minor antigenic differences between the IBV strains were observed using either the IBT or the HI test. It was concluded that the IBT is a useful and sensitive test system for detecting IBV antibodies