Seroprevalence of Avian Leukosis Virus Antigen Using ELISA Technique in Exotic Broilers and Nigerian Local Chickens in Zaria, Nigeria

In an attempt to determine the seroprevalence of avian leukosis virus (ALV) in exotic broiler chickens and Nigerian local chickens in Zaria, Nigeria, a total of 600 sera (300 from exotic broiler chickens and 300 from Nigerian local chickens), obtained from the live bird market in Zaria, Nigeria, were tested for ALV p27 antigen by the antigen capture enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ac-ELISA) technique. The age range of the Nigerian local chickens sampled in this study was 6 – 24 months, while that of the exotic broiler chickens used in this study was 2-3 months. Fourteen out of the 300 sera obtained from the exotic broiler chickens tested positive to ALV p27 antigen, which represents 4.70%, while 180 of the 300 Nigerian local chicken sera were confirmed positive to the antigen, representing 60.00%. Thirteen (92.86%) of the fourteen sera from the exotic broiler chickens were lowly positive (ELISA Units range of 10-20%) to ALV p27 antigen, while only one (7.14%) serum sample was moderately positive to ALV p27 antigen with an ELISA Unit of 29.33%. Of the 180 sera from the Nigerian local chickens that tested positive to ALV p27 antigen , 79 (43.89%) were lowly positive with ELISA Units ranging from 10.67% to 21.33%, while 101 (56.11%) serum samples were moderately positive to ALV p27 antigen with ELISA Units ranging from 28.0% to 73.33%. A higher seroprevalence of ALV was detected in Nigerian local chickens than the exotic broiler chickens.