DEVELOPMENT OF A GELATIN PARTICLE AGGLUTINATION REAGENT FOR MEASLES ANTIBODY-ASSAY

A new agglutination test that utilizes gelatin particles as the carrie r of measles antigen was developed and used to evaluate immune status to measles virus infection. The particle agglutination (PA) reagent re acted with monoclonal antibodies against two major proteins of measles virus, the hemagglutinin (H) and fusion (F) proteins. Children were f ollowed individually for ten years for measles antibody. Results showe d that the PA test was as sensitive and specific as the plaque neutral ization test. The procedure is simple and rapid. No prior treatment of specimens is needed, and the test is completed in a single reaction. The PA test therefore can be used for diagnoses and epidemiologic surv eys of measles virus infection.