A plaque assay for Mount Elgon bat virus based on intrinsic interference.

Area of Science:

• Virology
• Immunology

Background:

• Mount Elgon bat virus is a pathogen requiring sensitive detection methods.
• Assessing virus-neutralizing antibodies is crucial for understanding immunity and disease control.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a sensitive and reproducible plaque count infectivity assay for Mount Elgon bat virus.
• To evaluate the assay's utility in determining virus-neutralizing antibodies.

Main Methods:

• A plaque count infectivity assay was established using chick cells infected with Mount Elgon bat virus.
• Assay sensitivity was optimized by examining several variables.
• The effect of actinomycin D and 5-iododeoxyuridine on plaque formation was investigated.

Main Results:

• Chick cells infected with Mount Elgon bat virus showed complete resistance to superinfection with Sendai virus.
• The plaque assay demonstrated high sensitivity, reproducibility, and simplicity.
• Actinomycin D and 5-iododeoxyuridine did not impact plaque formation.

Conclusions:

• A robust plaque assay for Mount Elgon bat virus was successfully developed.
• The assay is suitable for the simple and reproducible determination of virus-neutralizing antibodies.
• The assay's performance is not affected by actinomycin D or 5-iododeoxyuridine.