RAPID IDENTIFICATION OF AUSTRALIAN BUNYAVIRUS ISOLATES BELONGING TO THE SIMBU SEROGROUP USING INDIRECT ELISA FORMATS

The Bunyavirus genus, belonging to the Bunyaviridae family, is compris ed of a large group of antigenically and geographically disparate arth ropod-borne viruses of medical and veterinary significance. In Austral ia, viruses belonging to the Simbu serogroup of the Bunyavirus genus, Akabane, Tinaroo, Peaton, Aino, Douglas, Thimiri and Facey's Paddock h ave been isolated. In this communication we describe two indirect ELIS As, referred to as the Simbu serogroup ELISA (SG-ELISA), and the Simbu typing ELISA (ST-ELISA), for the identification of these Simbu serogr oup viruses. Infected cell lysate antigens prepared from Simbu serogro up virus isolates were assessed in the SG-ELISA for reactivity with a mouse monoclonal antibody (4H9/B11/F1). The monoclonal antibody reacte d strongly with all Australian members of Simbu serogroup reference vi ruses and is proposed for use as a serogrouping reagent for Simbu viru ses. Furthermore, the ST-ELISA enabled specific identification of viru ses from within this group by recognition of characteristic reaction p atterns between infected cell lysate antigens and a panel of polyclona l antisera raised to Simbu serogroup viruses. (C) 1997 Elsevier Scienc e B.V.