DETECTION OF MATERNAL ANTIBODY AGAINST NEWCASTLE DISEASE VIRUS IN EGGS OF BACKYARD CHICKENS IN KURIGRAM AND COMILLA DISTRICT

Abstract

A cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the circulating level of antibodies against Newcastle Disease Virus (NDV) in eggs of backyard chickens at Kurigram and Comilla districts of Bangladesh. A total of 120 fresh eggs were collected from 24 randomly selected villages under the two districts. Five eggs were collected from each village contributing five separate households. Haemagglutination inhibition (HI) test was performed using 4HA unit Lasota strain of NDV antigen to determine antibody titers against the virus. The mean log2 HI titer to NDV in egg yolk of backyard chickens at Kurigram and Comilla district were 6.1 and 6.57 respectively. Among the villages of two districts, the highest antibody titer (27.2) was recorded in Bekri bill and the lowest (25) was in Harindhara. There was no significant (p>0.05) difference in the antibody titer among the villages of each union under the two districts. However, a detail study comprising large sample size and wide geographical area is needed to forecast the actual level of NDV antibody in eggs of backyard chickens in Bangladesh.