Comparison of the immunogenicity of Newcastle disease virus strains V4, Hitchner B1 and La Sota in chickens. 2. Tests in chickens with maternal antibody to the virus.

The immunogenicity of three Newcastle disease virus (NDV) strains--V4, Hitchner B1 and La Sota, was assessed in chickens that had varying levels of maternal antibody to the virus. Chickens were immunised at different ages by the eye drop and aerosol methods. The immune response of chickens to similar doses of the strains was affected by the presence of maternal antibody. Both the level of maternal antibody and the strain of virus used affected the result. Strain La Sota was least affected as it took higher levels of maternal antibody to depress response to it than were required to have a similar effect on Hitchner B1 and V4. Strain V4 was the strain most affected by circulating maternal antibody. The results demonstrated that strain V4 was less immunogenic than Hitchner B1 and La Sota when used in chickens with maternal antibody to NDV.