No abstract

A panel of monoclonal antibodies to herpes simplex virus glycoproteins was used for serological analysis of 130 strains. Based on specific immunological determinants, strains of each serotype clustered into subgroups. Monoclonal antibodies were suitable reagents for serotyping and have potential application to epidemiology of herpes simplex virus infections.

Seventy-seven clones of hybridomas selected for reactivity by immunofluorescence with human cytomegalovirus (CMV)-infected cells were produced by fusing mouse myeloma cells with the spleen cells of mice immunized with CMV strain AD169. The clones were classified into seven groups on the basis of the electrophoretic properties of the polypeptides immune precipitated from extracts of CMV-infected cells. Studies on the three groups of monoclonal antibodies directed against CMV surface membrane antigens showed the following. Clones in each group were differentiated by immunoglobulin subclass, neutralizing activity, and reactivity with the antigenic domains of proteins exposed on the surface membranes of intact CMV-infected cells. Monoclonal antibodies in each group precipitated one slowly migrating protein and multiple faster migrating forms which shared antigenic determinants. The first group of monoclonal antibodies precipitated four glycosylated polypeptides with apparent molecular weights of 130,000, 110,000, 100,000, and 60,000. Monoclonal antibody CH51 of this group neutralized infectious virus but failed to react with antigenic domains on the surfaces of infected cells. The second group of monoclonal antibodies precipitated four polypeptides with apparent molecular weights of approximately 66,000, 55,000, 50,000, and 46,000. Monoclonal antibodies CH65 and CH134 in this group had neutralizing activity and reacted with antigenic domains of proteins exposed on the surface of CMV-infected cells. The third group of monoclonal antibodies precipitated four polypeptides with apparent molecular weights of 49,000, 48,000, 34,000, and 25,000. Serological analysis of 15 naturally occurring CMV strains with a panel of monoclonal antibodies to surface membrane proteins showed that the antigenic determinants reactive with the antibodies tested were conserved in all of the strains. Monoclonal antibodies to surface membrane proteins on CMV-infected cells may prove to be valuable reagents for identification of virus isolates.

A seroprevalence and risk factor study of emerging tickborne infectious diseases (Lyme disease, ehrlichiosis, and babesiosis) was conducted among 230 residents of a semirural community in Sonoma County, California. Over 50% of residents reported finding a tick on themselves in the preceding 12 months. Samples from 51(23%) residents were seroreactive to antigens from one or more tickborne disease agents: 1.4% to Borrelia burgdorferi, 0.4% to Ehrlichia equi, 4.6% to Ehrlichia chaffeensis, and 17.8% to the Babesia-like piroplasm WA1. Only 14 (27%) of these seroreactive residents reported one or more symptoms compatible with these diseases. Seroreactivity was significantly associated with younger age (<16 years), longer residence in the community (11-20 years), and having had a physician's diagnosis of Lyme disease. In northern California, the risk of infection with these emerging tickborne diseases, particularly in children, may be greater than previously recognized.

There was 100% agreement between enzyme immunoassay (EIA) (Abbott Laboratories), Western blot, and indirect immunofluorescence (IF) when these three methods were used to measure antibody to the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) virus in sera from 142 high-risk individuals, indicating that IF was a sensitive alternative method for detecting antibody to this agent. Thirty-two (64%) of 50 EIA-positive plasma specimens from a blood bank and 6 (21%) of 28 EIA-positive sera from alternative testing sites were negative by IF. In addition, two EIA-negative sera from the latter group were positive by IF. Western blotting agreed with IF on those 40 specimens which gave discrepant results by EIA and IF. The IF method was determined to be equal to Western blotting in sensitivity and specificity for detection of AIDS antibody, and it was found to be useful for confirming positive EIA results, especially in specimens from individuals in low-risk groups.