Serological studies with influenza A(H1N1) viruses cultivated in eggs or in a canine kidney cell line (MDCK)

Pairs of influenza A(H1N1) viruses cultivated from the same clinical specimen in canine kidney (MDCK) cells or in embryonated hens' eggs can frequently be distinguished by their reactions with monoclonal antibodies to haemagglutinin and with antibodies in ferret or human sera. Egg-adapted virus, further passaged in MDCK cultures remained "egg-like" in serological characteristics indicating that the differences in their serological reactions were not a direct result of host cell-dependent glycosylation of the haemagglutinin. Haemagglutination-inhibiting (HI) or virus neutralizing antibodies in human sera can be detected more frequently, and to higher titre, in tests employing virus grown exclusively in MDCK cells than in tests with virus adapted to growth in embryonated eggs. Striking differences were detected in the serological reactions in HI tests when sera from ferrets infected with egg-grown virus were tested against a series of strains of influenza A(H1N1) virus isolated in 1983 and adapted to growth in eggs. In contrast, sera from ferrets infected with MDCK-derived virus failed to distinguish serologically between the same viruses that had been passaged exclusively in MDCK cells and also revealed relatively small differences between their egg-adapted counterparts.It was concluded that the cell substrate used for virus isolation and cultivation is a factor that should be considered when interpreting the results of strain characterization of influenza A(H1N1) isolates and in sero-surveys using these viruses.