Efficacy of oil-emulsion vaccines prepared with pigeon paramyxovirus-1, Ulster, and La Sota Newcastle disease viruses.

Three strains of avian paramyxovirus-1 virus (PMV-1) were used to prepare four experimental monovalent oil-emulsion vaccines. A pigeon PMV-1 isolate (PPMV-1) and the Newcastle disease virus strains La Sota and Ulster were used to prepare four pools of beta-propiolactone-inactivated allantoic fluid for the vaccines. Groups of susceptible white rock chickens and racing homing pigeons were vaccinated subcutaneously with one of the vaccines, and their serologic responses were determined using the hemagglutination-inhibition (HI) test at frequent intervals up to 9 weeks postvaccination. Pigeons were challenged after 10 weeks with a virulent PPMV-1 isolate given intravenously, observed for signs of disease for 5 weeks, and then tested for secondary serologic HI responses. The HI responses were measured using the three strains of virus as HI test antigens. The titers were generally greater when the hemagglutination antigen used in the test was homologous with the antigen used to prepare the vaccine. All vaccines protected pigeons against morbidity and death but not against infection with the challenge virus. The shedding of PPMV-1 challenge virus from PPMV-1 vaccinates was greatly reduced 6 days after challenge.