Chapter X 



The Scope and Limitations of Immunological Methods in the 

 Characterization and Functional Study of Viruses 



F. M. Burnet 

 Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, Melbourne 



1. Introduction 525 



II. The Concepts of Immunological Specificity 527 



III. Aggregation Reactions in Virology 530 



A. Precipitin Reactions 531 



1. Bacterial Viruses 531 



2. Plant Viruses 531 



3. Animal Viruses 532 



B. Complement Fixation 533 



C. Fluorescent Antibody Techniques 534 



IV. The Process of Virus Neutralization 534 



A. Neutralization of Bacterial Viruses 534 



B. Neutralization of Plant Viruses 537 



C. Neutralization of Animal Viruses by Immune Serum 538 



1 . Neutralization as Tested in the Experimental Animal 539 



2. Neutralization on the Chorioallantois 540 



3. Application of Plaque Techniques 540 



4. Inhibition of Hemagglutination by Immune Serum 543 



5. Neutralization of Influenza Virus in the Allantoic Cavity 544 



6. Conclusion 545 



References 546 



I. Introduction 



Historically, virology was developed as an elaboration of attempts to 

 prevent human viral infections by inmaunological methods. It might also be 

 said that immunology itself derives from Jenner's discovery of vaccination. 

 In the study of the virus diseases of man as public health and clinical prob- 

 lems, the production of immunity by means not involving the danger of 

 clinical disease has remained a central theme. Almost equally important has 

 been the development of methods for the recognition and measurement of 

 antibody in serum as a means of diagnosing subchnical as well as clinical 

 infection. 



With the development of interest in the study of viruses as such in the 

 laboratory, immunological methods became of much practical importance, 

 especially for the identification of virus strains. There are also many situations 

 in the experimental study of infection when a method is needed that will 



525 



