title: Immunity in Pekin ducks experimentally and naturally infected with duck hepatitis B virus.
abstract: The immune response to duck hepatitis B virus (DHBV) had not been elucidated. An assay was therefore established to detect the presence of antibody to DHB surface antigen (anti-DHBs) in serum of experimentally inoculated and naturally infected ducks. Anti-DHBs in serum was detected by indirect RIA from the percentage inhibition of binding of rabbit anti-DHBs to purified DHBsAg. Specificity was confirmed by positive and negative controls, infected and noninfected sera, and a mouse monoclonal antibody to DHB core antigen (anti-DHBc). Serum and liver samples were tested for DHBV DNA by dot-blot hybridization assay. Adult ducks repeatedly inoculated with DHBV remained non-viraemic but developed anti-DHBs. This antibody activity neutralized the infectivity of DHBV, which was experimentally inoculated into 1-day-old ducklings. In naturally infected flocks anti-DHBs was detected in a proportion of noninfected adult ducks as well as 1-day-old hatchlings. Anti-DHBs activity in hatchlings neutralized the infectivity of experimentally inoculated DHBV. Pekin ducks can therefore mount a neutralizing antibody response to DHBV, and immunity may be transferred in ovo from dam to off-spring.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, University of Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Vickery
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Freiman
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Dixon
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kearney
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Murray
authors.forename: Y E
authors.initials: YE
authors.lastname: Cossart
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn / Q000276:immunology; D004372:Ducks; D004770:Enterovirus / Q000276:immunology*; D004769:Enterovirus Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000096:biosynthesis; D004371:Hepatitis Virus, Duck / Q000276:immunology*; D007106:Immune Sera / Q000008:administration & dosage; D009500:Neutralization Tests
chemical_list: D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D007106:Immune Sera