Application of the single radial complement fixation test for serodiagnosis of influenza, respiratory syncytial, mumps, adeno type 3, and herpes simplex type 1 virus infections.

A stabilized modification of the single radial complement fixation (SRCF) test in gel was developed for detecting various virus antibodies. The principle of the test is based on the use of a single-stage procedure with an agarose plate containing virus antigens and antibody-coated erythrocytes, and thin plastic film coated with complement. By filling the wells in the agar plate with a 1:4 diluted heat-inactivated sera and covering the agar surface with a complement film, a zone of unlysed cells surrounded by a hemolytic area appears after incubation overnight at 4 degrees C and then for 1-2 h at 37 degrees C, depending on the antibody titers. The SRCF antibody titer is calculated numerically from the square of the diameter of the unlysed cell zone. The stability of reagents could be significantly improved using thin complement film and several stabilizers. When this test was used for serodiagnosis of influenza, respiratory syncytial (RS), mumps, adeno virus type 3 and herpes simplex type 1 virus infections (using a total of 400 sera), excellent correlations were demonstrated for antibody titers between conventional complement fixation (CF) and SRCF titers. Furthermore, the expression of antibody titer as an SRCF unit with consecutive value, produced results sensitive to fluctuations in the antibody titers. The simplicity of the procedure, stability of the reagents, and excellent correlation with the conventional CF test might make this a useful test for routine serodiagnosis and seroepidemiological survey of various virus infections.