Production of influenza virus complement-fixing antibody in mouse ascitic fluid

Suspension cultures of BHK-21/13s cells infected with either A/Hong Kong/8/68 or B/Massachusetts/3/66 strains of influenza were used to prepare type-specific influenza ribonucleoprotein-immunizing antigens. These antigens were used in comparing four immunization schedules in the production of immune mouse ascitic fluids. Large volumes of ascitic fluids were obtained by these schedules. These fluids contained type-specific complement-fixing antibody and were devoid of nonspecific host tissue or heterologous cross-reactions.