STUDIES OF THE HEMOLYSIS OF RED BLOOD CELLS BY MUMPS VIRUS

Abstract

The conditions for the production of extra-embryonic fluids with hemolytic activity from chick embryos infected with mumps virus have been investigated. Infected fluids with strong hemolytic activity can be obtained by harvesting the fluids of 6- to 8-day-old chick embryos inoculated by the amniotic route after 5 to 6 days' incubation at 35°C. Under such circumstances, the hemolytic capacity of amniotic fluids is usually much higher than that of the allantoic fluids. The hemolytic activity and infectivity of the virus have been found to be reduced or destroyed by heat, formaldehyde, and ultraviolet irradiation under conditions which leave the hemagglutinating capacity practically unchanged. Ultraviolet irradiation appeared to have a greater deleterious effect on the infectivity of the virus than on its hemolytic capacity. The marked reduction or destruction of hemolytic activity of the virus produced by certain treatments with these various agencies was not accompanied by loss of the ability of the virus to elute following its adsorption on red blood cells during the process of hemagglutination. This test for hemolytic activity, which measures a more labile property of the virus than do determinations of virus hemagglutination or virus elution, may be useful in detecting changes which occur early during degradation of the virus.