The serological response of chickens to Australian lentogenic strains of Newcastle disease virus

Newcastle disease virus: an evolving pathogen?

Australia experienced outbreaks of virulent Newcastle disease (ND) in chickens in the state of New South Wales in the years 1998, 1999 and 2000. The disease had occurred previously in Australia in 1930 and 1932 but the country was free of it until the recent outbreaks. Avirulent strains of Newcastle disease virus (NDV) were detected in 1966 and, during the next two to three decades, strains (so-called lentogenic strains) able to induce mild respiratory disease equivalent to that induced by vaccine strains such as LaSota were also detected. Nucleotide sequence analysis of the genes encoding the haemagglutinin and fusion proteins of Australian isolates of the virus during this time demonstrated that Australian chicken strains of NDV could be differentiated from NDV isolated elsewhere. Analysis in this way demonstrated that NDV isolates causing the recent outbreaks of virulent disease were Australian viruses that were so closely related to a recognized Australian lentogenic strain, termed the Peat's Ridge strain, that it was considered to be the precursor of the virulent virus. The outbreaks of virulent disease in 1998 and 1999 were controlled by an official "stamping out" eradication campaign. This was subsequently replaced by strategic use of ND vaccines when virulent virus was again detected on some farms that had been restocked following depopulation. The national situation with regard to ND is now being assessed through a structured national survey of ND viruses, particularly to determine the distribution of the precursor strain. No new outbreaks of virulent ND have been recognized since February 2000, although immunization of flocks in areas where the disease was recognized has occurred.

Comparison of the residual virulence of Newcastle disease vaccine strains V4, Hitchner B1 and La Sota

The clinical response of 7-day-old chickens to Newcastle disease vaccine strains V4, B1 and La Sota administered by the aerosol method was used to study the residual virulence of the strains. Parameters used to assess the severity of the clinical response were the number of sneezes recorded and the weight gain of chickens in the 10 day test period. The demeanour of the chickens was also observed. Strain V4 was less pathogenic for chickens than strain B1 which was less virulent than strain La Sota. Statistically significant differences were recorded in weight gain and the number of sneezes detected in each group. An unexpected mild respiratory disease recorded in chickens dosed with strain V4 may have been associated with administration of virus as a fine particle aerosol.

The serological response of chickens to oil emulsion vaccines containing the V4 strain of Newcastle disease virus

Experiments were conducted with vaccines containing the V4 strain of Newcastle disease virus (NDV). Both living aqueous vaccines and vaccines consisting of virus incorporated oil emulsion were used. The calculated dose of virus contained in the oil emulsion vaccine was 10(8.7) 50% embryo infectious doses (EID50) per bird dose. Haemagglutinin inhibition (HI) antibody levels of 8 are presumed protective. One-day-old chicks with low levels of maternal antibody were vaccinated intraocularly with 10(6.3)EID50 ol live vaccine, and concurrently with oil emulsion vaccine. Presumed protective levels of antibody were present at two weeks post vaccination and were maintained for at least seven weeks longer. When adult birds 15 weeks old with no previous exposure to NDV were vaccinated intraocularly with 10(6.7)EID50 per bird, protective levels of antibody were produced within a week. Unvaccinated birds put in contact with the vaccinated birds produced similar antibody levels within 14 days. Revaccination with oil emulsion vaccine after antibody levels had fallen resulted in a rapid response with high levels of antibody. When antibody-free adult commercial birds with an unknown history of exposure to NDV were vaccinated intramuscularly with oil emulsion vaccine, high antibody levels were produced for at least 21 weeks. Concurrent intraocular inoculation with 10(7.0)EID50 live virus did not enhance the response. Natural infection of unvaccinated birds occurred during the experiment. This was detected by the presence of HI antibody levels of short duration. When antibody-free commercial birds were inoculated intramuscularly with oil emulsion vaccine containing 10(6.0), 10(7.0), or 10(8.0)EID50 per bird dose, 100% of birds inoculated with the highest dose produced presumed protective levels of antibody within two weeks, as compared with a 5-week delay when using the 10(7.0)EID50 per bird dose.