IN VITRO DETERMINATION OF D ANTIGENS OF POLIOMYELITIS VIRUSES .I. GEL DIFFUSION TEST

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  • 1 January 1966
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 11  (4) , 297-+
Abstract
A technique for the measurement of poliomyelitis virus D antigens by means of gel diffusion tests against antisera obtained from hyperimmunized calves is described in detail. The precision of the method was estimated by performing several replicate tests with 3 or 4 dilutions of concentrated antigen of each of the 3 types. The D antigen content, if measured by means of 12 precipitation hexagons in agar can be calculated with a precision of about 10% (95% confidence limits). The calf sera gave no precipitation with C antigens in the concentrations suitable for measuring D antigens. The local reference antigens, the D antigen concentrations of which were adjusted to equal that of the reference antigens used in the Glaxo Laboratories, contained C as well as D antigens. This was observed in gel diffusion tests with specific anti-C sera from guinea-pigs. The guinea-pig anti-C sera showed a precipitation with the immune calf sera as well as with normal calf serum. This indicated the presence of anti-calf antibodies in the guinea-pig sera, presumably elicited by traces of calf proteins in the vaccines. These antibodies might give rise to non-specific precipitation if antisera used in the test for D antigen were obtained from animal species other than those used to provide components in the tissue culture medium from which the antigens were derived.