Assay of antibodies to caliciviruses by radioimmune precipitation using staphylococcal protein A as IgG adsorbent.

A radioimmune assay method designated St-RIP using a staphylococcal IgG adsorbent, which potentially has broad applications to viral (and nonviral) antigen-antibody systems, was applied to detection of calicivirus antibodies. Purified 125I-labeled virions of San Miguel sea lion virus serotypes 4 (SMSV-4) and 5 (SMSV 5) were incubated with sera; the immune complexes were reacted with an immunoadsorbent, formaldehyde-fixed staphylococci (Staphylococcus aureus protein A producer, strain Cowan I), and collected by centrifugation. Broad cross-reactivity was observed among serotypes of SMSV and vesicular exanthema of swine virus (VESV), but there was no reaction with antisera to six noncaliciviruses. Antibody production in a rabbit inoculated with SMSV-5 polypeptide was monitored by St-RIP assay; reactivity with intact SMSV-4 virion antigen was slightly less than, but closely paralleled, reactivity with SMSV-5 virion antigen. Applicability of the St-RIP test to serologic survey was demonstrated with pinniped, swine, and human (laboratory personnel) sera; numerous positive St-RIP reactions suggested the occurrence of widespread contacts with caliciviruses.