Recombinant haemagglutinin neuraminidase antigen-based single serum dilution ELISA for rapid serological profiling of Newcastle disease virus

A recombinant haemagglutinin neuraminidase (HN) antigen-based single serum dilution enzyme linked immuno-sorbent assay (ELISA) was developed to measure the specific antibody in sera of chickens against Newcastle disease virus. A linear relationship was found between the predicted antibody titres at a single working dilution of 1:1000 and the corresponding observed serum titres as determined by the standard serial dilution method. Regression analysis was used to determine a standard curve from which an equation was derived that allowed the demonstration of this correlation. The equation was then used to convert the corrected absorbance readings of the single working dilution directly into the predicted ELISA antibody titres. The assay proved to be sensitive, specific and accurate as compared to the standard haemagglutination inhibition (HI) test.