The Serological Comparison of Strains of Influenza Virus

Abstract

SUMMARY: The antigens of eight strains of influenza virus were compared by a simple and economical complement-fixation technique in which drops on Perspex sheets replaced larger volumes of reagents in racks of tubes. By this means more extensive tests were made with a limited supply of material than by standard tube techniques.The specific antisera were prepared in mice, thus avoiding the elaborate isolation precautions necessary for ferrets, and sera from large groups were pooled to minimize individual variations between animals. The antigens were standardized in terms of the amount of complement fixed in the presence of excess homologous antiserum. The comparison of the strains is presented in the form of index numbers, ranging from 0 to 1.0; 1.0 represents complete identity of two strains, while the smaller numbers are taken to represent the degree of antigenic relationship between strains. Of the six strains examined which were isolated in different years, all were serologically distinct though the two I3 strains were closely similar and two of the A strains were fairly closely related. On the other hand, the three strains of influenza A virus isolated in 1947, two in London and one in the U.S.A., were identical.

The relationship between influenza and pneumonia

“…All dilutions were made in barbituric acid buffered saline containing calcium and magnesium as recommended by Mayer, Osler, Bier & Heidelberger (1946). This was prepared as a stock solution and diluted freshly on the day of test (Fulton & Dumbell, 1949 In addition to patients with clinical illness, a study was made of family contacts of cases of pneumonia so that sixty-three contacts of twenty-two cases of pneumonia were investigated serologically and by throat swab during the inter-epidemic period, compared with twenty-four contacts of seven cases of pneumonia during the 'epidemic' period. Pressure of work made it impossible to study more families during the latter period.…”

Immunological and Epidemiological Investigations of Genital Strains of Herpes Simplex Virus

“…The technique was that described by Bradstreet and Taylor (1962 (Fulton and Dumbell, 1949) was used throughout the experiment to maintain an optimum pH of 6 8 to 7 4.…”

Primeiro registro de epidemias causadas pelo vírus Oropouche nos Estados do Maranhão e Goiás, Brasil

“…Isolamento e identificação do vírus -Tentativas de isolamento de vírus foram realizadas FIGURA 1 através da inoculação de grupos de insetos triturados e do sangue dos pacientes febris -diluídos em uma solução fosfato tamponada contendo 0,75% de albumina bovina (fração V) e antibióticos (penicilina + estreptomicina) -, em camundongos albinos "Swiss" de 2 a 3 dias de idade pela via intra-cerebral, com 0,02 ml da suspensão. A identificação do vírus foi realizada pelo teste de fixação de complemento de acordo com microtécnica modificada 12 mialgias, artralgias e tontura foram os sintomas mais freqüentemente encontrados na maioria dos pacientes; fotofobia e dor retro-ocular comumente foram também relatadas. Ocorreram ainda outros sintomas, tais como náuseas, vô-mitos, anorexia e adinamia (Tabela 1).…”