Slow-reacting and complement-requiring neutralizing antibody in swine infected with porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) virus.

Various conditions were evaluated and modified to enhance the sensitivity of the neutralization (NT) test for detecting antibody in swine infected with porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) virus. Higher NT antibody titers were consistently obtained by the addition of 10% (v/v) complement, fresh guinea pig serum, to the virus diluent and by the incubation of serum-virus mixture at 4 degrees C for 24 hr. The appearance and persistence of antibodies detected by the modified NT test showed a similar pattern to those of antibodies detected by the indirect fluorescent antibody (IFA) assay, although the antibody titers obtained by the former method were consistently lower than those obtained by the latter method. Slow-reacting complement-requiring NT antibody was detected in sera from pig 2 weeks after infection with PRRS virus. The slow-reacting complement-requiring NT antibody in the early serum samples was sensitive to 2-mercaptoethanol (2-ME), whereas the slow-reacting complement-requiring NT antibody in the late serum samples was resistant to 2-ME. The initial phase may represent the IgM response and the later phase a change to IgG. A NT test was developed in which serum-virus mixtures were incubated at 4 degrees C for 24 hr with complement; this gave an improved sensitivity over the previous incubation at 37 degrees C for 60 min.