SINGLE-RADIAL-COMPLEMENT-FIXATION - NEW IMMUNODIFFUSION TECHNIQUE - ASSAY OF ANTIBODY-RESPONSE TO TYPE-SPECIFIC ANTIGENS OF INFLUENZA-VIRUS IN POST-INFECTION HUMAN SERA

  • 1 January 1978
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 56  (1) , 111-116
Abstract
A new immunodiffusion technique in agarose gel for the quantification of complement-fixing antibodies is described. The test involves the incorporation of antigen and complement in a primary agarose gel. Heat-inactivated serum samples are allowed to diffuse radially from wells overnight at 4.degree. C. A secondary gel, containing antibody-coated sheep erythrocytes, is layered on top of the first gel and the system is incubated for 45 min at 37.degree. C. Where complement is fixed, i.e., around wells with positive serum samples, zones of unlysed cells appear. There is a straight line relationship between zone areas so produced and log2 serum titers obtained with the conventional complement fixation test. The method appears to be applicable to a variety of antigens. It was found suitable for bacterial and viral antigens. The test can also be reversed, thus allowing the quantification of diffusible antigens in a gel containing immune serum and complement. The use of this method as a diagnostic tool for the assay of complement-fixing antibodies to the type-specific antigens of influenza virus in paired human sera [is described in detail].