DIFFERENTIATION ASSAY FOR AIV INFECTED BIRDS

摘要

A method for diagnosing avian influenza virus infection in a bird, the method comprising the following steps of providing an antibody sample from a bird to be tested and determining whether the sample comprises antibodies to non-structural protein 1 (NS1) of an avian influenza virus, the presence of anti-NS I antibodies being indicative of infection of the bird with avian influenza virus. Preferably, the method comprises contacting the sample with a non-structural protein 1 (NS 1) of an avian influenza virus, or a fragment or variant thereof (or fusion of the same),and determining whether antibodies in the sample to be tested bind thereto, for example using an indirect ELISA or immunofluorescence assay. The invention further provides a kit for performing the methods of the invention. A method for preventing AIV spread by destroying birds that were found to be infected using the diagnosis of the invention is claimed.