Lack of Antigenic Relationship between French and Recent North American Non-A/Non-B Turkey Rhinotracheitis Viruses

Twelve turkey rhinotracheitis viruses (TRTVs) including the Colorado isolate and two French non-A/non-B viruses were serologically compared. Six enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) antigens derived from subgroup A, subgroup B, a French non-A/non-B, and the Colorado TRTVs were used. Virus neutralization (VN) tests were performed with four Ma-104-adapted viruses derived from subgroup A, subgroup B, a French non-A/non-B, and the Colorado viruses. French strains isolated since 1995 were assigned to subgroup B in both ELISA and VN, whereas those isolated in 1985 and 1986 appeared more diverse: two strains belonged to subgroup B, one to subgroup A, and two others appeared antigenically different from both the A and B subgroups and are classified as non-A/non-B. The Colorado strain appeared different from these three groups of TRTVs. Assignment to subgroup A or B was confirmed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, but neither the French non-A/non-B strains nor the Colorado virus could be classified with the subgroup-specific G-based primers. These results suggest that at least three antigenically different viruses were present in France in 1985-86 and that the Colorado strain is different from all European TRTVs. Further serologic and phylogenic studies will be necessary to evaluate their actual prevalences and relationships.