Detection of Newcastle disease virus in chicken tracheal organ cultures by the fluorescent antibody technique and by the embryonated egg method

An "open-air" chicken tracheal organ culture was used for quantitative studies on detection of Newcastle disease virus (NDV) by the direct fluorescent antibody technique. Despite some quenching of fluorescence by mucus and cellular debris, NDV could be detected in epithelial and lymphoid cells of the trachea. However, efficacy of detection of NDV by reisolation from "open air" tracheal organ cultures in embryonated eggs was higher by a factor of about 100.