Development of an immunoelectroosmophoresis test for the detection and typing of antibodies to vesicular stomatitis viruses.

This study was conducted to develop a rapid test to detect type specific antibodies to various strains of vesicular stomatitis virus. Glycoprotein was extracted from purified vesicular stomatitis virus-Indiana 3 and used as antigen in an immunoelectroosmophoresis test (counter immunoelectrophoresis) to test reactivity with homologous hyperimmune serum and antisera to vesicular stomatitis virus-New Jersey, Indiana 1 and Indiana 2. A reaction was only detected with the homologous antiserum. A simpler preparation of antigen, a detergent extract of infected cells was also evaluated and shown to have less specificity in reactions with hyperimmune sera. This infected cell extract was, however, useful in detecting homologous antibodies in convalescent sera (natural vesicular stomatitis virus-New Jersey infection) and no reactions were detected with infected cell extracts of vesicular stomatitis virus-Indiana 1, 2 and 3.