A DOT IMMUNOBLOTTING ASSAY (DOT-BLOT ELISA) FOR EARLY DETECTION OF NEWCASTLE-DISEASE ANTIBODIES IN CHICKENS

An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay using nitrocellulose blotting mem brane (dot blot ELISA) was developed for the detection of antibodies a gainst Newcastle disease virus (NDV) in chickens. In this method, a ni trocellulose blotting membrane was used as the solid phase carrier. ND V antigens were directly bound onto the nitrocellulose membrane that w as set into a dot blot microfiltration apparatus. Efficiency of the as say was evaluated using known positive and negative NDV sera obtained from chickens. The ability of the assay to detect antibodies 2 days ea rlier than the standard hemagglutination-inhibition (HI) test was demo nstrated on sera collected from chickens experimentally infected with NDV, La Sota strain.