Wesselsbron virus haemagglutination: studies with erythrocytes of various animal species at different pH and temperatures

Abstract

The haemagglutinating (HA) properties of the Nigerian strain of Wesselsbron virus have been investigated using erythrocytes from a wide range of animals. The results showed that Wesselsbron virus possesses HA activity when extracted using the sucrose and acetone method. The erythrocytes of goose, horse, donkey, pig, cattle, sheep, goat, monkey, man, rabbit, rat, guinea pig and chicken were agglutinated by Wesselsbron virus at different pH values (5.75-7.0) and temperatures of 4 degrees C, room (25 +/- 2 degrees C) and 37 degrees C. The ability to haemagglutinate fell as pH increased, but the effect of incubation at different temperature was not marked. However, under the conditions of the experiment HA pattern was clearest at 37 degrees C. High HA titres (> or = 1:16) were consistently obtained using goose, horse, donkey and human erythrocytes at different temperatures.