An ELISA blocking test using a peroxidase-labelled anti-HN monoclonal antibody for the specific titration of antibodies to avian paramyxovirus type 1 (PMV1).

This report describes an ELISA blocking test using a peroxidase-labelled monoclonal antibody which binds to the HN protein of Newcastle disease (NDV). This test allows specific detection of type 1 avian paramyxovirus (PMV1) antibodies but does not detect other avian paramyxovirus (PMV2-9) antibodies recognized by the usual serological NDV tests (HI, Orgenics, and Agritech ELISA tests). Furthermore, swollen head syndrome and influenza antibodies were also not detected. ELISA blocking and HI titers of sera collected from SPF chickens immunized with 18 different PMV1 strains (including pigeon isolates) were the same; the correlation between ELISA blocking and HI titers was highly significant (P less than 0.001). In comparison with ELISA tests available commercially at the present time, the ELISA blocking test can be performed more quickly and is applicable without modification to sera from different species of fowls. For this reason, the test appears to be useful for determining the immunity and sanitary status of fowls. When recombinant or deleted vaccines become available, the test should make it possible to demonstrate with confidence any infection of fowls by wild type PMV1.