Rapid identification of tick-borne encephalitis virus by the fluorescent antibody technique.

An immunofluorescence technique in tissue cultures and in mice, developed to provide a rapid means of identification of group B arboviruses, has been used to identify the tick-borne encephalitis virus. Identification in mouse-brain tissue was not possible when mice with vague clinical symptoms were used. Identification in chick-embryo-cell cultures was less time-consuming and laborious than identification in mouse brain, but more care was required, since only a small percentage of cells showed fluorescence. Identification can be accomplished in a few hours if mice in agony or cell cultures three to five days after inoculation are used.