Serological differentiation of avian infectious bronchitis field isolates using an enzyme immunoassay: presence of Dutch strains in West Germany.

Six field virus isolates were identified as the etiologic agent of avian infectious bronchitis (IB) in West Germany. A serological comparison was carried out using the M-41 strain from the Massachusetts serotype and the Dutch variant strains D-207, D-1466, D-3128, and D-3896 in a cross indirect immunoperoxidase test. Three isolates demonstrated similarity to the M-41 strain; the remainder showed a closer antigenic relationship to the Dutch variant strains. These results correspond to differences observed in a hemagglutination-inhibition test. The enzyme immunoassay is proposed as another possible method for differentiating IB virus strains.