Application of a recombinant baculovirus expressing hantavirus nucleocapsid protein as a diagnostic antigen in IFA test: cross reactivities among 3 serotypes of hantavirus which causes hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS).

Recombinant baculovirus-infected insect cells which expressed recombinant protein, analogous to the nucleocapsid protein (NP) of Seoul type hantavirus, strain SR-11 (rNP-SR-Sf9) were applied to the indirect immunofluorescent antibody (IFA) test. The rNP-SR-Sf9 reacted with anti NP MAb clones which recognized strain specific or hantavirus common epitopes in the IFA test. The recombinant antigen was detected by antibodies to 3 serotypes of hantaviruses (Hantaan 76-118, SR-11, Puumala). Antibody titers of a group of experimentally infected mouse and urban rat sera using rNP-SR-Sf9 and strain SR-11-infected Vero cell antigens were mutual correlative. These results indicated that the rNP-SR-Sf9 were an effective and safety substitute for Vero E6 cells in the IFA test for serosurveys of hantavirus infection.