Assay of Serum Antibodies against Newcastle Disease Virus in Local Chickens at Kaduna, Nigeria

Abstract

Newcastle disease (ND) is a highly contagious viral disease of domestic poultry, caged, aviary and wild birds caused by the Newcastle disease virus (NDV). Assay of antibodies to Newcastle disease virus was undertaken using 300 sera samples from unvaccinated local chickens marketed and slaughtered at the Central Market, Kaduna, Northern Nigeria using the Haemagglutinin inhibition (HI) method. Of the 300 sera assyed, 202 (67.3%) tested positive for NDV antibodies, with 75% of them showing specific immunity to ND. NDV-HI Geometric mean titre of 18.4 was recorded showing a low level of antibody protectiveness to NDV attack due to natural infection. The result highlights the epizootic nature of the disease among local chickens in the area and concludes that the data is of economic importance since poultry local chickens are known to spread NDV to other avian species. Vaccination of local chicken is recommended when practicable.