The use of monoclonal antibodies for the antigenic analysis of influenza A viruses.

Monoclonal antibodies have been found to provide useful additional information for the antigenic analysis of influenza A viruses of the H3N2 and H1N1 subtypes. They have been particularly useful in the interpandemic period when multiple variants circulate concurrently.Apparently heterogeneous isolates can be placed in fairly clear-cut groups on the basis of their reactivity with certain monoclonal antibody preparations. It is thought likely that variants reacting with the least number of monoclones are the most different antigenically from the fully reactive strains.