STUDIES ON INFLUENZA VIRUS : THE COMPLEMENT-FIXING ANTIGEN OF INFLUENZA A AND SWINE INFLUENZA VIRUSES

Influenza complement fixation tests designed for use with ferret serum are described. Complement-fixing antigens derived from influenza ferret lungs were unsatisfactory due to their low content of soluble antigen; those prepared from mouse lungs or developing chick embryo membranes proved to be better antigenically and were reliable when the various reagents in the test were properly adjusted to eliminate non-specific fixation of complement. The results of cross complement fixation tests indicated that the soluble antigens of the PR8 and W.S. strains of influenza A virus were closely similar, if not identical. They indicated also that the soluble antigen of swine virus possessed components present in the antigens of the human strains of virus.