A mechanism for prozone formation in the complement fixation test for bovine brucellosis

Complement fixation (CF) by bovine IgG1 or IgM antibodies to Brucella abortus was inhibited by specific non-complement-fixing antibodies of the IgG2 subclass. This inhibition may account for the appearance of prozones in CF titrations of some antiserums, and for the occurrence of serums which are positive to the Rose Bengal test, but negative to the CF test.