The quantitation of rabies-specific antibodies. II. Factors affecting the sensitivity of the haemagglutination inhibition test

Various factors affecting the HAI test for the quantitation of rabies-specific antibodies have been evaluated with a view to obtaining maximum sensitivity and reproducibility in tests using tissue culture antigens prepared in vero cells and concentrated by dialysis. Goose erythrocytes treated with proteolytic enzyme bromelian at a concentration of 0.025% were much more susceptible to HA than those that were untreated or erythrocytes treated with neuraminidase. In addition, other parameters like the use of a phosphate buffered saline (PBS) as a diluent at pH 6.2, incubation at 0-4 degrees C for 1.5-3 h were found to be most critical for achieving maximum HA activity. To remove non-specific inhibitors, serum samples were treated with aerosil, acetone in combination or alone. Of the 73 serum samples tested, removal of non-specific inhibitors by aerosil alone occurred in up to 54.79% of the samples, whereas using acetone-aerosil treatment followed by adsorption with goose erythrocytes, the inhibitors were removed in 98.67% of the samples to a level that was undetectable at the 1:4 starting dilution in the HAI test.