DETECTION OF TRANSMISSIBLE GASTROENTERITIS VIRAL ANTIBODIES BY IMMUNODIFFUSION

Precipitating antibodies against transmissible gastroenteritis viral antigens were detected by immunodiffusion in 2 transmissible gastroenteritis viral hyperimmune antisera and in antiserum prepared against hemagglutinating encepalomyelitis virus, but not in sera from several species of normal animals [pig, horse, sheep, calf, rabbit and guinea pig], in antisera prepared against a variety of other viruses [swine enterovirus, hemagglutinating encephalomyelitis virus, parainfluenza type 3 virus, infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus and rabies virus], and bacteria [Escherichia coli, Salmonella cholerae-suis and S. typhi] or sera from swine with bacterial enteritis. When the immunodiffusion test was compared with the virus neutralization test for the detection of transmissible gastroenteritis viral antibodies in 20 swine sera, certain samples which contained high titers of virus neutralizing antibodies failed to produce precipitation, while other sera were positive in the immunodiffusion test although their virus neutralizing antibody titers were relatively low. Precipitating antibodies were also detected by immunodiffusion in several samples of milk whey from a sow which had been vaccinated with inactivated transmissible gastroenteritis virus.