Effect of low dose gamma-radiation upon Newcastle disease virus antibody level in chicken

Background: The specific antibody response against Newcastle disease virus (NDV) in the blood serum of chickens hatched from eggs exposed to low dose gamma-radiation was studied. Materials and methods: Two groups of eggs of commercial meat chicken lines were irradiated with the dose of 0.30 Gy 60Co gamma-rays before incubation and on the 19th day of incubation, respectively. The same number of eggs unexposed to gamma-radiation served as controls. After hatching the group of chicken hatched from eggs irradiated on the 19th day of incubation was not vaccinated while the group of chicken hatched from eggs irradiated before incubation was vaccinated on the 14 day. Specific serum anti-NDV antibodies were quantified by the hemagglutination inhibition assay with 4 HA units of NDV La Sota strain. Result: Specific antibody titres against NDV in the blood serum of chickens hatched from eggs irradiated before incubation and vaccinated on the 14th day significantly increased on the 28th day. Specific antibody titre against NDV in the blood serum of chickens hatched from eggs irradiated on the 19th day of incubation and non-vaccinated was significantly higher on the 1st and 14th day. Conclusion: Acute irradiation of heavy breeding chicken eggs with the dose of 0.30 Gy 60Co gammarays before incubation and on the 19th day of incubation could have a stimulative effect on humoral immunity in chickens. Iran. J. Radiat. Res., 2009 7 (1): 27-31