Complement-fixing reactivity of Varicella-Zoster virus subunit antigens with sera from homotypic infections and heterotypic Herpes simplex virus infections

Abstract

Various subunit antigens of varicella-zoster (V-Z) virus were examined for complement-fixing (CF) activity with sera from homotypic infections and from herpes simplex virus (HSV) infections in which a CF antibody titer rise was demonstrated with crude V-Z antigen. The subunit antigens included nucleocapsids, envelopes, a soluble antigen produced from infected [human fetal diploid lung] culture fluids by sucrose density gradient centrifugation [DGC], a soluble antigen produced by reducing the volume of clarified infected culture fluids, a soluble antigen derived from infected cell lysates, a viral antigen consisting largely of enveloped particles with a few nucleocapsids, and a cell membrane-associated antigen. None was more suitable than crude V-Z antigen for serodifferentiation of V-Z virus and HSV infections. The envelope antigen, cell membrane antigen and soluble antigen prepared by DGC showed little reactivity with sera from varicella and HSV infections, but gave high antibody titers with sera from zoster infections, suggesting that a secondary V-Z virus infection is required to produce an antibody response to these subunit antigens. Patients with varicella and zoster infections and the selected patients with HSV infections all showed significant CF antibody responses to the other V-Z subunit antigens. [This paper assesses the usefulness of soluble V-Z antigens for serological differentiation of HSV and V-Z virus infections.].