Evaluation of different methods of inactivation of Newcastle disease virus and avian influenza virus in egg fluids and serum.

Viruses conveyed in shipments of eggs, viral diagnostic reagents, or avian serum samples are a potential hazard for susceptible poultry. Different methods of treatment of those materials to eliminate the hazard of virulent and avirulent strains of Newcastle disease virus (NDV) or avian influenza virus (AIV) were evaluated. The NDV strains tested were more thermostable than the AIV strains. The results suggest that standard pasteurization methods would not reliably inactivate the concentrations of NDV used. beta-Propiolactone (BPL) (greater than or equal to 0.025%) inactivated NDV or AIV in allantoic fluid, but higher concentrations were needed to inactivate virus diluted in serum. Hemagglutination (HA) of NDV and AIV and hemolysis (HL) activity of NDV were reduced or eliminated by 0.4% BPL. Formalin (greater than or equal to 0.04%) inactivated either virus but adversely affected HA and HL activity. NDV or AIV was inactivated by binary ethylenimine (BEI) (0.01 M) with no adverse effect on HA or HL. Heat (56 C) or BEI (0.01 M) had no apparent effect on hemagglutination-inhibition (HI) titers of NDV and AIV antisera, the effect of formalin (0.1%) was variable, and BPL (greater than or equal to 0.25%) depressed the HI titers of both antisera. The optimum method should achieve virus inactivation without harming the treated material.