A RAPID INDIRECT ELISA FOR THE SEROGROUPING OF AUSTRALIAN ORBIVIRUSES

This communication describes the development and evaluation of a simple and rapid method for the classification of Australian orbiviruses into one of seven established serogroups (i.e. bluetongue, epizootic haemorrhagic disease of deer, Palyam, Eubenangee, Corriparta, Wallal, Warrego) or an 'ungrouped' category. The Australian orbivirus serogrouping ELISA (SG-ELISA) utilised a sodium deoxycholate-treated cell lysate preparation from infected BHK cells which was subsequently probed in an indirect ELISA format with polyclonal antibodies representative of each serogroup. Bound immunoglobulin was detected by the use of a recombinant streptococcal protein G-HRPO conjugate and subsequent reaction with the chromogenic substrate. All reference orbiviruses tested in the SG-ELISA were identified and were in agreement with the serogroups originally designated. Minimal inter-serogroup cross-reactions were observed. One-way cross-reactions were observed between Warrego and Mitchell River viruses.