ANTIGENIC DIFFERENTIATION OF STRAINS OF TURKEY RHINOTRACHEITIS VIRUS USING MONOCLONAL-ANTIBODIES

Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) were prepared against one UK isolate of t urkey rhinotracheitis virus (TRTV). Those which were virus-neutralizin g were selected and used, together with polyclonal antisera raised to each isolate in turkeys, in cross-neutralization tests against TRTV st rains isolated in the UK and elsewhere. Whilst the polyclonal antisera showed that there was some diversity between them, all strains examin ed belonged to one serotype. The TRTV strains isolated in the UK could clearly be differentiated from those isolated elsewhere by some of th e mAbs. Isolates of TRTV made in South Africa in 1978 and UK in 1985 w ere more closely related than were isolates made in UK and France with in a few months. TRTV strains isolated from turkeys and chickens could not be differentiated. Some mAbs were found to be group-specific in t hat they neutralized all TRTV strains examined. All mAbs were of eithe r the IgG1 or IgG2a isotype and recognized the surface G glycoprotein.