Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) is an acute, febrile
viral disease of small ruminants, caused by a virus of the genus Morbillivirus. PPR and
rinderpest viruses are antigenically related and need to be differentiated serologically. In the present study, 23 mouse
monoclonal antibodies were produced by polyethyleneglycol (PEG)-mediated fusion of sensitized lymphocytes and myeloma cells. Among these, two belong to the
IgM class and the remaining 21 to various subclasses of
IgG. The MAbs from the
IgG class designated 4B6 and 4B11 neutralized PPR virus in vitro. In radioimmunoprecipitation assay, 10 MAbs recognized
nucleoprotein, 4 recognized the matrix
protein and one each haemagglutinin and
phosphoprotein. The remaining 7 MAbs failed to precipitate any defined
viral protein. The reactivity pattern of the
monoclonal antibodies in indirect ELISA indicated a close antigenic relationship within three Indian PPR (lineage 4) virus isolates and also within two
rinderpest vaccine strains. All PPR virus isolates could be distinguished from
rinderpest vaccine viruses on the basis of the reactivity pattern of all MAbs and anti-N
protein MAbs. A set of six
monoclonal antibodies specific to PPR virus could also be identified from the panel. From the panel of MAbs available, two MAbs were selected for diagnostic applications, one each for the detection of
antigens and
antibodies to PPR virus.