Variant serotypes of infectious bronchitis virus isolated from commercial layer and broiler chickens

Twenty infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) field isolates obtained from commercial layer and broiler chickens in 1987 and 1988 were serotyped using the virus-neutralization (VN) test. Six different previously unrecognized variant serotypes were identified from a total of seven isolates from layer chickens. Only two isolates, both from Maine, were the same variant serotype. Variant serotypes also were recovered from layer flocks in Illinois and Washington and the province of Ontario, Canada. Two different variants were isolated from the same multi-age layer complex in Connecticut. Only one of 13 broiler chicken isolates was found to be a new variant serotype, that being from birds reared in Delaware. Cross-protection studies in specific-pathogen-free chickens indicated that vaccines containing the Holland, L-1, or Connaught strains of Massachusetts (Mass) combined with Arkansas produced a broader spectrum of immunity against challenge with the layer variants than Mass (Holland) alone or Mass (L-1) + Connecticut. All vaccines tested produced solid immunity (greater than or equal to 80% protection) against the broiler variant virus.