Pathogenicity and antigenicity of a new variant of Korean nephropathogenic infectious bronchitis virus.
Despite the existence of an active vaccination program, recently emerged strains of nephropathogenic infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) in Korea have caused significant economic losses in the poultry industry. In this study, we assessed the pathogenic and antigenic characteristics of a K-IIb type field strain of IBV that emerged in Korea since 2003, such as Kr/Q43/06. Specific pathogen free 1-week-old chickens exhibited severe respiratory symptoms (dyspnea) and nephropathogenic lesions (swollen kidneys with nephritis and urate deposits) following challenge with the recent IBV field strain. The antigenic relatedness (R value), based on a calculated virus neutralization index, of the K-IIb type field strain and K-IIa type strain KM91 (isolated in 1991) was 30%, which indicated that the recent strain, Kr/Q43/06, is a new variant that is antigenically distinct from strain KM91. This report is the first to document the emergence of a new antigenic variant of nephropathogenic IBV in chicken from Korea.
Choi
Kang Seuk
KS
Avian Diseases Division, National Veterinary Research and Quarantine Service, Anyang 430-757, Korea. choiks@nvrqs.go.kr
Lee
Eun Kyoung
EK
Jeon
Woo Jin
WJ
Park
Mi Ja
MJ
Kim
Jin Won
JW
Kwon
Jun Hun
JH
D000818:Animals; D000956:Antigens, Viral; D002645:Chickens; D018352:Coronavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D001351:Infectious bronchitis virus / Q000145:classification / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D007723:Korea; D009393:Nephritis / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000821:virology*; D013047:Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms; D014774:Virulence
D000956:Antigens, Viral