Improved hemagglutination and hemagglutination-inhibition tests for Akabane virus using formalinized goose erythrocytes

When formalinized instead of fresh goose erythrocytes were used in the hemagglutination (HA) test system of the Akabane virus, the agglutinability of the erythrocytes increased and became less salt-dependent. The improved method based on these findings should facilitate the hemagglutination-inhibition (HI) test and may be useful for epidemiological studies of the Akabane virus.