TRT virus serology: Discrepancy between ELISA and indirect immunofluorescence

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Abstract
The results of a survey for antibody to TRT virus in turkeys and chickens from Northern Ireland and turkeys from England, sampled prior to the emergence of TRT infection is reported. All the sera were negative using a streptavidin/ biotin based ELISA, but 16.7% of turkey and 12.6% of chicken sera from Northern Ireland and 7% of turkey sera from England were positive by indirect immunofluorescence (IIF). Those sera positive by IIF did not react with other avian myxoviruses by immunofluorescence. Double staining of TRT virus‐infected cell cultures with a monoclonal antibody to TRT virus and purified IgG fractions of IIF positive sera confirmed the specificity of this reaction for TRT virus epitopes. These results strongly suggest the presence of an antigenically related virus to TRT virus in the poultry population in Northern Ireland and England.