Vaccination of ostriches (Struthio camelus, Linnaeus, 1758) against Newcastle disease: evidence for vaccine compatibility and seroconversion after vaccinations using the hemagglutination inhibition and virus neutralization tests

Newcastle disease (ND) remains to be the worldwide most important infectious disease of poultry. This epizootic is in Germany and many other countries a notifiable disease. Prophylactic vaccination is the major tool for the control of ND in poultry and other birds. Eighty-three ostriches (Struthio camelus) which were kept on farms in Germany were checked for the presence of NDV-specific antibodies. Some of these birds are said to be vaccinated against Newcastle disease. Only some of these ostriches contained antibodies which were measurable in haemagglutination inhibition and virus neutralisation tests. Twenty-three previously unvaccinated ostriches were vaccinated with commercially available vaccines. Both the LaSota live and inactivated oil emulsion vaccines were well tolerated following conjunctival or subcutaneous application, respectively. Neither local nor systemic side reactions were observed. After the vaccinations high antibody titres were detected in hemagglutination inhibition and virus neutralisation tests. A strong correlation between both established methods (r = 0.92; < 0.001) were noted.