The immunoglobulin M response in chicken serum to infectious bursal disease virus.

Despite the severe bursal damage observed in 5-week-old chicks as a result of the replication of a virulent strain of infectious bursal disease virus, the virus-specific antibody response in serum followed a typical pattern. Three methods were used to monitor the IgM response, an indirect ELISA using serum and ELISAs, carried out on gel chromatography fractions and eluants from affinity chromatography of serum. The profile of IgM production was found to be similar by each method. Possible future uses for the indirect ELISA are discussed.