Prevalence of human coronavirus antibody in the population of southern iraq

Abstract

Sera from adults in Southern Iraq were collected during winter and screened by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the presence of antibodies to the two antigenic groups of human coronaviruses, the 229E and the OC43 groups: 91% of the sera had antibodies to at least one of the groups, whereas 4 and 5% of the sera had antibodies to only the 229E or OC43 groups, respectively. There was significant correlation between the levels of antibody to the 229E and OC43 group coronaviruses in these sera.

Immune response of mice immunized with mouse hepatitis virus strain 3

“…We have previously shown that mice from the specific pathogen-free unit of this Centre had no MHV 3 antibodies as determined by ELISA [3]. On immunization with denatured MHV 3 particles, IgG antibodies were detected against whole virus particles, and surface projection, membrane and RNP subcomponents.…”

“…Virus preparations were disrupted with nonidet P40 and surface projection, membrane and RNP fractions were separated on sucrose density gradients as described previously [3,10]. Subcomponent fractions were shown to be uncontaminated with the other subcomponents by labelling their polypeptides with ~25I and analysing them on polyacrylamide gels [3,10]. Sera were collected from mice immunized with MHV 3 as previously described [3] with simple modifications.…”

“…Subcomponent fractions were shown to be uncontaminated with the other subcomponents by labelling their polypeptides with ~25I and analysing them on polyacrylamide gels [3,10]. Sera were collected from mice immunized with MHV 3 as previously described [3] with simple modifications. Briefly, three groups of five C57 mice were immunized intraperitoneally at 2-day intervals with two 0.5 ml doses of purified, dialysed, formalin-inactivated MHV 3 emulsified in an equal volume of complete Freund's adjuvant.…”

“…Sera were collected from mice immunized with MHV 3 as previously described [3] with simple modifications. The ELISA procedure used has been described previously [3]. Mice in the three groups were inoculated with 1:50, 1:100 and 1:200 dilutions of denatured MHV 3 preparations, respectively.…”

“…The coronavirus, mouse hepatitis virus strain 3 (MHV 3), infects many strains of mice causing fulminant hepatitis [1]. We have previously described the separation of the three main structural components of MHV 3 using sucrose density gradient centrifugation after nonidet P40 treatment [3]. The components were the surface projections containing polypeptides of Mr 170000 and 105000, a membrane fraction comprising polypeptides of M r 22000 and 20000, and the RNP containing a 50000 M r polypeptide and the RNA genome [4].…”