Preparation of Rabbit Immune Serum with Neutralizing Activity against a Simian Cytomegalovirus (SA6)

Abstract Neutralization studies with human and simian cytomegaloviruses (CMV) are presently limited to sera obtained from naturally infected hosts or from monkeys immunized with specific CMV strains (1–3). The unavailability of reference antisera prepared in non-primate hosts raises the possibility that neutralization of human or simian CMV strains by human and monkey sera may result from a heterotypic response between the CMV strain under test and antibody directed against an inter- or intra-species cross-reacting virus. Cross-neutralization for example, has been reported between Herpesvirus hominis (herpes simplex) and Herpesvirus simiae (B-virus) (4, 5), and between Herpesvirus hominis and SA8 virus (6) isolated from vervet monkeys (7). The use of immune sera from non-primate hosts should minimize, although not completely exclude, the possibility of a heterotypic antibody response in serologic studies with human and simian CMV strains. This report concerns the preparation of antiserum in rabbits with neutralizing activity against a simian CMV (SA6) isolated from vervet monkeys (7).