Mumps Complement Fixing Antibodies in Guinea Pigs

Abstract

The patterns of complement fixing antibody responses to mumps virus in guinea pigs resemble in many aspects those seen in man. Intranasal instillation of infectious virus elicits high titers to the soluble (S) antigen within 2 weeks while antibodies to the virus (V) antigen either fail to develop or, where found, reach rarely high titers. Intraperitoneal injection of infectious virus also induces high anti-S levels but these are always accompanied, or even preceded by similar responses in anti-V. Injection of formalin inactivated virus by the intraperitoneal route results generally in the development of anti-V only. It is possible therefore to obtain high titered anti-S sera without detectable anti-V and, conversely, potent anti-V sera without measurable anti-S for the control of dose and specificity of diagnostic V and S antigens by intranasal inoculation of infectious virus and intraperitoneal injection of the inactivated agent, respectively, and bleeding of the animals at appropriate intervals.