Complement-dependent serum neutralization with virulent and avirulent Bucyrus strains of equine arteritis virus.

Virulent and avirulent strains of Bucyrus equine arteritis virus (EAV) were used to raise antiserum in horses. Serum neutralization (SN) tests were performed with and without the addition of guinea pig complement. The inclusion of ten percent guinea pig serum in the virus suspension was sufficient for optimal enhancement of SN titres at any immune stages after immunization. Immune serum prepared against avirulent virus reacted only with homologous virus and there was no complement enhancement. Immune sera raised against live or inactivated virulent virus neutralized both virulent and avirulent virus. The reaction with virulent virus demonstrated complement enhancement. There was also moderate potentiation in the presence of complement when serum raised against inactivated virulent virus reacted with avirulent virus.