Immunological and biochemical characterization of human adenoviruses from subgenus B. I. Antigenic relationships.

47 adenovirus strains related to Ad11, 14, 16, 21, 34, and 35 (including all subgenus B prototypes) were studied in neutralization and hemagglutination-inhibition with 40 antisera, prepared against 16 virus strains, to determine their antigenic relatedness. Wild strains of Ad11-14 (14), Ad14, and a group of 16 strains related to Ad21 proved to be identical within their respective groups, whereas strains related to Ad11, 34, and 35 showed serological differences. Prototype strains of Ad11, 21, 34, and 35 fit the species definition (22) if selected antisera of known specificity are used. All virus strains with Ad16 hemagglutinin showed a bilaterial cross-neutralization either with Ad4, Ad14, Ad3, or Ad21. Doubly neutralizable strains with one hemagglutinin were Ad11 + 35/H11, Ad3 + 16/H16, Ad21 + 16/H16 (H stands for 'hemagglutinin'). Preliminary identification of subgenus B viruses (others than Ad3 and 7) may be performed by HI.