[Automatic complement fixation reaction applied to the diagnosis of influenza (author's transl)]

Auto-analysis has been adapted to the study of complement fixation on flu antigen-antibody complexes. The antigen used consists of a complete virus of strain A2/AICHI/68/H3N2 (antigen of envelope V). The advantages of this method reside in the reproducibility of the results and in instrumental reading with graphic recording and conservation of a graphical result. The recording of the percentage of hemolysis given by the auto-analyser permits calculation of the rate of the reaction K37 of complement fixation on the formed immune complex. This value is independent of temperature, time of fixation and the initial quantity of complement used. It is proportional to the quantity of specific antibody. Thus, the value of K37 is proposed as mode of expression of the results replacing the limit serum dilution.