Table 4.
Summary of experiments that detect LCMV in the same groups of immune mice by various methods
| Experimental group
|
Ratio of LCMV positive mice in different detection systems
|
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Infection with LCMV-WE | Time after infection | Focus-forming assay | Transfer in AG129 mice | Nested RT-PCR | Immunohistology |
| 200 pfu i.v. | Day 40 | 0/3 | 1/3 | 3/3 | 3/3 |
| Day 80 | 0/4 | 2/4 | 4/4 | 4/4 | |
| 2 × 106pfu i.v. | Day 40 | 0/3 | 3/3 | 3/3 | 3/3 |
| Day 80 | 0/3 | 3/3 | 3/3 | 3/3 | |
Three to four B6 mice per group and time point were immunized with 200 or 2 × 106 pfu of LCMV i.v. After 40 or 80 days, organs were harvested, and four different methods were used to detect either LCMV genome (nested RT-PCR), LCMV antigen (immunohistology with rat anti-LCMV-NP antibody; VL-4) or replication-competent LCMV (focus-forming assay and transfer of tissue homogenates into AG 129 mice), as detailed in Materials and Methods. The ratio of LCMV-positive mice by the respective technique is shown for each group.