Use of antigens labelled with radioisotopes in serological epidemiology. Part of a coordinated programme

A brief status report of intended cooperative projects is presented. Some sera were available for testing diptheria, tetanus, smallpox and typhoid antibody formation. Some very preliminary work was carried out on the diagnosis of staphyloenterotoxicosis. A preliminary report on radioisotope-labelled cercarial antigens has been published elsewhere. Lipopolysaccharide complexes were labelled with 14C-sodium acetate for studying sera in diseases caused by gram-negative cocci (meningococci and gonococci). Leptospiral antigens were studied using 14C-glucose. Of the other Trepanomataceae, borreliae and the cultivable syphilis T. pallidum were tested, using 14C-amino acid mixture. The study of trypanosomes was continued. Labelling with 125I proved effective but the antigens could also be labelled with 14C (borohydrate- 14C-formaldehyde). In schistosomiasis, defatted cercariae were used as antigen. Malarial diagnosis with the aid of Plasmodium knowlesi and Pl. gallinarum as antigens for human Plasmodia proved inconclusive. Pseudomonas aeruginosa toxin was successfully labelled with 125I. Progress was achieved in viral diagnosis by using the inhibition test (influenza A virus and vaccinia virus being used as models for RNA and DNA viruses, respectively)