Simple procedure for preparation of bluetongue virus and epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus antigens for agar gel immunodiffusion.

A simplified procedure was developed for preparing soluble antigen from two related orbiviruses, bluetongue and epizootic hemorrhagic disease viruses, for agar gel immunodiffusion. The antigens gave excellent results in both micro-agar gel diffusion (agar gel precipitin) and macro-agar gel diffusion (bluetongue immunodiffusion). Minor modification in the spatial arrangement of reference antisera, commonly utilized in the agar gel immunodiffusion tests, was employed to reduce the possible development of false-positive reactions. The procedures for antigen preparation were inexpensive and did not require elaborate filtration or high-speed centrifugation. Stability of antigen preparations at 5 degrees C was excellent (in excess of 3 years for bluetongue virus and 2 years for epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus).