The application of improved techniques to the identification of strains of bluetongue virus

Abstract

Previously the isolation and identification of strains of bluetongue virus has been tedious, so that the introduction of techniques to shorten the delay was considered highly desirable. Neutralization tests were conducted on the principle of the inhibition of plaque development by serum diffusing through an agarose overlay. Fish spine beads filled with serum were placed on the overlying cells. The utilization of serum mixtures further provided a saving of materials. These techniques when applied to a group of field specimens were found to give reliable results. Similarly homologous antibody in the convalescent serum of recovered donor sheep could be demonstrated by this technique and served to confirm the immunological classification of the samples.