Mortality Patterns and Antibody Response in Chicks Inoculated with Eastern Equine Encephalomyelitis Virus

Abstract

The HI test was applied in detecting antibody in chickens experimentally infected with equine encephalomyelitis virus. Hemagglutination-inhibiting antibody is detectable at a high level prior to neutralizing antibody and persists for at least 140 weeks. Resistance to disease from Eastern equine encephalomyelitis virus infection, demonstrated by diminishing mortality, increases in chickens between the 3rd and the 14th day of life. Infection in birds which are 14 days of age or older when infected can be detected by the rapid development of hemagglutination-inhibiting antibodies.