Preparation of immune serums for the identification of rhinoviruses

: Six schedules of immunization of rabbits, guinea pigs and rats for production of antirhinovirus immune sera were studied. Sera with virus-neutralizing antibody titers of 1:1000 to 1:50,000 were obtained in rabbits immunized into popliteal lymph nodes. The resulting sera had high titers of antibody to cell components and neutralized the cytopathic effect induced by heterologous strains. Sera from which cell components had been absorbed showed strict type-specificity in the neutralization and indirect immunofluorescent tests. A mixture of sera has been shown to be useful for identification of rhinoviruses by the immunofluorescent procedure.