A Thymidine Kinase recombinant protein-based ELISA for detecting antibodies to Duck Plague Virus

Background Duck plague virus (DPV) is the causative agent of Duck Plague (DP) that causes significant morbidity and mortality throughout duck-producing areas of the world. The diagnosis of DP currently relies on the use of live or inactivated whole DPV virion as antigens in ELISA, but it is too laborious and expensive for routine application, and it is still difficult to get purified DPV virion with current technology.