Correlation Research of the Serological Test (HI) and Challenge Test of Duck Tembusu Virus Inactivated Vaccine

【Objective】The objective of this paper was to evaluate the correlation of the serological test (HI) and challenge test of duck Tembusu virus inactivated vaccine.【Method】Three batches of vaccines ( laboratory trial products) were used to immunize the 51-day-old young ducks and 260-day-old laying ducks by intramuscular injection in 0.15, 0.3, 0.5 and 1.0 mL, respectively. Secondary immunization was proceeded in the same doses and route at 14 day after primary immunization. Ducks were regrouped according to the HI titer and challenged with 0.5 mL (100 DID₅₀) DTMUV at day 28 after secondary immunization. Serum samples were collected at 2 days later for virus isolation and laying ducks were dissected at 8 days later to observe the ovarian lesions. All the results were counted to evaluate the immune potency of vaccines. The correlation of HI titer and immune protection rate was analyzed.【Result】The protection rate of immunized young ducks with HI titer of 1:5 or lower, 1:10, 1:20, 1:40, 1:80, 1:160, 1:320, 1:640 was 50% (20/40), 43.8% (7/16), 74.3% (26/35), 86.7% (26/30), 96.6% (57/59), 92.7% (51/55), 95% (38/40) and 100% (11/11), respectively. The protection rate was 48.2% with HI titer lower than 1:20, while the rate was 74.3% with HI titer of 1:20 and 93.8% with HI titer of 1:40 or greater. In laying ducks, the protection rate of flocks with HI titer of 1:5 or lower, 1:20, 1:40 and 1:80 was 66.7% (12/18), 83.3% (10/12), 95.2% (20/21) and 100% (15/15), respectively. The protected proportion of ducks with HI titer of 1:10, 1:160, 1:320 and 1:640 was 2/3, 7/7, 1/1 and 2/2, respectively. The protection rate was 66.7% with HI titer of 1:10 or below, while the rate was 83.3% with HI titer of 1:20 and 97.8% with HI titer of 1:40 or greater. There were significant positive correlations between the HI titer and the immune protection rate both in young ducks and laying ducks. The Spearman’s correlation coefficient was 0.905 (P<0.01) and 0.932 (P<0.01), respectively. 【Conclusion】There were positive correlations between the HI titer and the immune protection rate of duck Tembusu virus inactivated vaccine (strain HB). The HI detection could be used to evaluate the efficacy of duck Tembusu virus inactivated vaccine (strain HB) instead of challenge test. The HI titer of 1:20 could be defined as the criteria of protection for the duck Tembusu virus inactivated vaccine after immunization.