Monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies for immunohistochemical detection of bovine parainfluenza type 3 virus in frozen and formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues

Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada.

Accurate identification of bovine parainfluenza type 3 virus in bovine respiratory disease requires dependable, sensitive, and specific techniques for detection in affected animals. Immunohistochemical testing can be a rapid and reliable means of demonstration of virus in tissues from suspect cases; however, this procedure is dependent upon the quality of the antisera directed against the viral antigens. The production of rabbit polyclonal and murine monoclonal antibodies directed against bovine parainfluenza type 3 virus and techniques for their use in fresh-frozen and formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues in immunofluorescence and immunoperoxidase-based immunohistochemical tests are described.