A micro-passive hemagglutination test for the rapid detection of antibodies to infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus.

Serum antibodies to infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus are most commonly detected using the serum-virus-neutralization test, a time-consuming and expensive procedure. A passive hemagglutination test was developed for the rapid detection of antibodies using the Microtiter System. Two cloned strains of the virus were used in the investigation, namely the BF strain and the Los Angeles strain. Erythrocytes from several species were used. The best results were obtained using the Los Angeles strain of virus adsorbed to sheep cells treated with formalin and tannic acid. Sera from field cases of the disease as well as hyperimmune bovine and rabbit sera were tested using both the micro-passive hemagglutination test and the standard plaque-neutralization procedures. Comparable titers were obtained in the two tests. The micro-passive hemagglutination test is rapid, accurate and economical.