Serological monitoring of Newcastle disease in the Russian Federation in 2023–2024

Introduction. Newcastle disease is a highly contagious viral infection of birds that is reported in many countries around the world. Newcastle disease cases shall be notified to the World Organization for Animal Health.

Objective. The objective of this research is to ensure monitoring of Newcastle disease using serological methods and analyze the findings obtained for 2023–2024 in the Russian Federation.

Materials and methods. The Territorial Administrations of Russian Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Supervision sampled biological material in 74 subjects of the Russian Federation (more than 66,700 samples of avian sera). Tests for antibodies to Newcastle disease virus were conducted at the Reference Laboratory for Avian Viral Diseases, housed within the Federal Centre for Animal Health (Vladimir, Russia). Enzyme-linked  immunosorbent assay and hemagglutination inhibition assay were performed using diagnostic kits manufactured by the Federal Centre for Animal Health.

Results. The conducted tests revealed significant variations of seroprevalence in commercial and backyards poultry flocks and in wild birds. High Newcastle disease virus seroprevalence was observed in chickens and turkeys within closed commercial farming systems due to routine mass vaccination against the disease. At the same time, the overall seropositivity rate for all poultry species was 74% in 2023, increasing to 81% in 2024. In backyards, antibodies to Newcastle disease virus were detected in 35% of all the tested sera samples from chickens and turkeys in 2023 and in 53% of the tested samples in 2024. Specific antibodies were also detected in samples from the vaccinated guinea fowl and pheasants and from non-vaccinated geese and ducks. Antibodies to Newcastle disease virus were also detected in wild birds across several Russian regions, suggesting their role of a natural reservoir for Newcastle disease virus strains of varying pathogenicity.

Conclusion. Therefore, the monitoring data indicate that routine flock vaccination helps to control successfully Newcastle disease in commercial poultry flocks, creating a stable epizootological situation. However, a significant risk of Newcastle disease virus introduction and spread from infected backyard poultry and wild bird reservoirs still persists.

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