New method for production of influenza A virus subtype specific antisera: employment of precipitate obtained by crossed immunoelectrophoretic techniques as antigen.

The crossed immunoelectrophoretic technique was employed for the production of subtype-specific influenza A virus antisera. Glycoprotein-containing precipitates were produced by this technique by using detergent solubilized influenza A virus glycoproteins as antigens in the first dimension gel and rabbit antisera against these antigens in the second dimension gel. By cutting these precipitates out of the gel and using them for the immunization of rabbits, antisera were produced which showed the presence of subtype-specific antibodies in haemagglutination inhibition and immunofluorescent antibody tests but no antibodies in neuraminidase inhibition tests.