Comparison of methods used to evaluate infectious bursal disease virus

This dissertation reports the development and validation of molecular cloning for in vitro MDV-1 and HVT glycoproteins, along with indirect in vivo expression in mice with MDV-1 gB and in vivo fate of this construct after 12 post-injection. Additionally, two avian cytokines were cloned and validated. In vitro expression was shown in mammalian cells. Additionally, this dissertation investigated whether recommended standards of IBDV pathology methods, including gross bursa scoring and bursa/body ratio using two standardized variant IBDV strains: AL-2 and DVE. Similar research was also conducted using a newly discovered, uncharacterized strain called IBDV-R.