Neutralizing antibody in nasal secretions of chickens following administration of avian infectious bronchitis virus

summary Intranasal instillation of live infectious bronchitis (IB) virus resulted in low levels of neutralizing antibody in the nasal secretions of chickens. However, when preceded by administration of ß-propriolactone-inactivated or live homologous virus, markedly elevated levels of nasal antibody were found, particularly in the latter case. The origin of this nasal antibody is discussed. Transudation from serum was largely discounted as it was shown that only negligible amounts of antibody could be detected in nasal washings from birds given IB, antiserum intravenously—local synthesis was considered the more likely origin.