Detection and identification of host cell antigens in the composition of influenza B virus

: Two heterogeneous antigens, Forssman antigen and an antigen similar to human group A antigen, were detected by enzyme-immunoassay in cells of normal chick embryo CAMN and MDCK culture (dog kidney). Both these antigens were associated with purified influenza B virus preparations reproduced in these cultures since the variants under study actively reacted with antibodies both to Forssman antigen and to human A antigen. Serological differences between the variants grown in different cell systems were due to the presence in their composition of the species-specific cell component typical either of chick embryo tissues or MDCK cultures, since the viruses of chicken origin contained the specific cell antigen CAMN, whereas the same viruses grown in MDCK did not contain it but had the specific activity for dog kidney cells. The virus-specific activity of the variants under study showed no significant differences in relation to host cells.