Yellow fever virus. II. Factors affecting the plaque neutralization test.

In studies on the factors and conditions influencing the yellow fever (YF) virus plaque neutralization test, 60 min was found to be the minimal time necessary for equilibration of the virus-antibody complex at 23 and 37 C. Maximal virus titers in the diluent controls and the pre- and postinoculation serum-containing mixtures occurred by the 60-min adsorption time. Serum neutralization indices also seemed to level by this time. Heating (56 C for 30 min) decreased the neutralizing capacity of serum. However, the slope of the neutralization curve was not affected. The addition of native (unheated) "serum factor" in the form of fresh guinea pig or monkey sera partially restored the neutralizing activity lost by heating in some, but not all, sera. Many sera contained nonspecific inhibitors of YF virus infectivity and neutralization. Preliminary studies with ether extraction suggest that these inhibitors are lipid in nature.