comparative studies on two tests for detection of avian influenza a virus and newcastle disease virus in co-infected guinea fowl (numida meleagris)

Thirty four oropharyngeal swabs were collected from guinea fowl infected with a low-pathogenicity avian influenza A virus Н6N2 (LPAIV H6N2) and vaccinated with a lentogenic NDV strain La Sota. All samples were examined in HI test after attempts for isolation of viruses in 9-day-old chick embryos (CЕ) and by means of AIV-NDV rapid Ag kit (RapiGEN, South Korea). The results demonstrated that the rapid test could be used for guinea fowl despite its lower sensitivity of 91.67 % as compared to the HI test after isolation in CE. The test specificity was 100 % indicating that it could distinguish both viruses in co-infections.