From 1997-200, tissues samples including lung, trachea and kidney prepared from broiler layer and breeder flocks were submitted to avian virology laboratory of poultry diseases section in order to isolate respiratory viral diseases viruses.
A total number of 37 infectious bronchitis viruses (IBV) were isolated in embryonated chicken eggs. The infected embryos displayed stunting, urate deposition in the mesonephros, or death. A group specific polyclonal antiserum was produced and used in dot-immunoblotting and immunofluorescent assys. There was 80% similarity between these tests in the identification of IBV field isolates. A field IBV strain designated as 2100/I was selected to compare virus neutralizing index (VNI) using H120 Massachusetts, pooled and negative control sera. The VNI of 2100/1 strain by using of pooled antiserum was 2.4 greater than those H120 Massachusetts antiserum indicating that this strain may antigenically different from H120 Massachusetts strain. Further studies are needed to characterize IBV isolates.
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