Random cDNA probes to infectious bursal disease virus.

Viruses from three commercially available modified-live infectious bursal disease virus vaccines were propagated in tissue culture. Following this, a series of 32P-labeled probes was generated using the entire RNA genome as template for formation of randomly primed cDNAs. These probes were tested against dot blots of the three vaccine strains, as well as the USDA standard challenge strain and one field-origin strain. Dot blots were made of both crude tissue extract and LiCl-precipitated RNA genome. All three probes detected the standard challenge and field strains. Although differences in probe binding could be quantified among the strains, cross-hybridization indicated considerable homology within genomic regions preferentially transcribed under the experimental conditions.