Development and stability of rinderpest virus antigens in cattle tears and lymph nodes.

Diffusible rinderpest virus antigens were demonstrated in increasing quantities in ocular and lymph node biopsies from rinderpest-infected cattle using agar gel immunodiffusion (AGID) and counterimmunoelectrophoresis (CIEP) tests. Positive samples were detected from the second day of pyrexia to two days after death. The antigens in ocular secretions and lymph nodes were thermolabile being destroyed within five minutes at 56 degrees C and within two weeks at 4 degrees C.