Inactivated canine parvovirus vaccines: an alternative method for assessment of potency

Central Veterinary Laboratory, New Haw, Weybridge, Surrey.

Groups of three-week-old chickens were given graded doses of inactivated canine parvovirus vaccines. Blood samples were taken three weeks later and the sera examined by ELISA for antibodies to canine parvovirus. Reproducible, linear, log-dose serological responses were observed, enabling the potency of the vaccines to be compared. The simultaneous administration of other components of canine multivalent vaccines appeared to reduce the response to the parvovirus component. When its results have been correlated with the degree of protection in dogs this test could be used to assess the potency of inactivated canine parvovirus vaccines.