Typing of Viruses by Combinations of Antiserum Pools. Application to Typing of Enteroviruses (Coxsackie and Echo)

Summary Individual tests of a virus antigen against an array of typing sera can be replaced by tests against a small number of pools of these sera. The serum pools yield combinations of results specific for each type according to the distribution of the sera in the pools. The procedure for constructing such “combination pools” is described. Typing sera for 24 enteroviruses (18 ECHO and 6 Coxsackie) were distributed by this procedure into seven pools of sera. Prototype viruses tested by a single neutralization test against these seven pools gave results specific for each type. The results obtained by using these pools in typing new virus isolates are presented. The method has been successfully applied to the typing of new virus isolates.