Encephalomyocarditis and influenza viruses attach to human erythrocytes causing haemagglutination. The receptor for both viruses on these cells is the major membrane sialoglycoprotein, glycophorin, solubilized preparations of which inhibit haemagglutination by either virus. We show here that glycophorin preparations inhibited haemagglutination of both viruses, even after the preparations were d...

The extracellular Opacity Factor elaborated by a strain of group A streptococcus M type 2 was purified by ammonium sulphate precipitation, DEAE-cellulose and hydroxylapatite column chromatography and Sephadex G-200 gel filtration. Gel filtration experiments indicated that the Opacity Factor is consituted of high molecular weight proteins or protein aggregates which appear to dissociate into sub...

The haemagglutination test for antileucocidin is frequently positive in cases of bone tuberculosis in the absence of obvious staphylococcal infection. This test is therefore of little practical use in the differentiation of staphylococcal and tuberculous bone disease, and its use has been discontinued at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital. The antigamma haemolysin test in bone tuberculosis...

Rubella contracted in early pregnancy is associated with a high frequency of congenital anomalies in the infant. Viral transmission occurs in overt as well as occult maternal illness with or without a rise in maternal rubella antibody titres. It is thus both difficult and important to determine whether the fetus has become infected in utero. One approach is to isolate rubella virus from amnioti...

A modified haemagglutination inhibition test for rubella antibodies using prestandardized freeze-dried reagents was compared to a "standard" method. Tests of 707 serum samples showed that the modified test was sensitive and reliable by both macrotitration and microtitration techniques. The minor disadvantages of some reduction in antibody level when rubella sera were tested within one week of t...

A comparison of haemagglutination inhibition (HI) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) techniques for the detection of antibodies against Newcastle disease virus in sera from persons working in poultry farms and veterinary vaccine institutes and from the general population revealed that 22% more sera were positive by ELISA compared to HI. No samples were negative by ELISA but positive ...

A trial of a modified reverse passive haemagglutination test for HBsAg using a 0.1% cell suspension instead of the recommended 1% showed an approximately eight-fold increase in detection sensitivity. The test can be performed within 30 minutes and lends itself to mass screening techniques. Confirmation tests can be done using the 0.1% method. In addition, the same serological plates and cells u...

Numerous serological studies have been done on people living as natives in yaws endemic territories (Guthe, Ridet, Vorst, D'Costa, and Grab, 1972; Garner, Backhouse, Daskalopoulos, and Walsh, 1972) to establish epidemiological patterns or evaluate mass treatment. The local population ofNew Zealand has no yaws; however, there is a large influx of immigrant Pacific Islanders with yaws antibodies....

Two passive haemagglutination methods for detecting HBsAg were compared. In general, the method using turkey erythrocytes was found preferable to the method employing sheep cells since it is more rapid and more sensitive, and less frequently gave rise to false positive reactions with sera from staff, blood donors, and patients not receiving haemodialysis. The turkey cell test gives rise to more...

PathWest Laboratory Medicine WA detected RRV IgM antibodies using an inhouse indirect immunofluorescence antibody (IFA) test, but no RRV antibodies were detected using an inhouse haemagglutination inhibition (HI) antibody test 10 days after blood donation. RRV IgM antibodies are detected by IFA testing within a few days of onset of illness and routinely persist for several weeks or, occasionall...