title: Detection of highly pathogenic influenza and pandemic influenza virus in formalin fixed tissues by immunohistochemical methods.
abstract: Tissues infected with highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses such as H5N1 and H7N7 are normally required to be fixed in formalin or paraformaldehyde before examination in order to inactivate the virus. In this study commercially available monoclonal antibodies to the influenza nucleoprotein (NP) were evaluated in order to determine which antibodies would identify positive cells in tissues fixed in formalin or paraformaldehyde. An assessment of which antigen retrieval process would unmask antigens blocked by formalin fixation was also made. Of six commercially available monoclonal antibodies tested, only one (HB65, European Veterinary Laboratories) was able to identify all formalin fixed avian, swine and human influenza virus infected tissues, and this was after pronase induced epitope retrieval. This monoclonal antibody is recommended for routine diagnostic use for the detection of influenza A infected tissues that have been fixed in formalin or paraformaldehyde.
authors: Department of Pathology, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong SAR, China. nicholls@pathology.hku.hk
authors: John M
authors: JM
authors: Nicholls
authors: Linda P W
authors: LP
authors: Wong
authors: Renee W Y
authors: RW
authors: Chan
authors: Leo L M
authors: LL
authors: Poon
authors: Leo K Y
authors: LK
authors: So
authors: Hui-Ling
authors: HL
authors: Yen
authors: Kevin
authors: K
authors: Fung
authors: Sjouke
authors: S
authors: van Poucke
authors: J S Malik
authors: JS
authors: Peiris
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D001717:Birds; D005404:Fixatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D005557:Formaldehyde / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods*; D005585:Influenza in Birds / Q000821:virology; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000821:virology; D019590:Nucleocapsid Proteins; D009975:Orthomyxoviridae / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D018184:Paramyxoviridae Infections / Q000662:veterinary / Q000821:virology; D010336:Pathology / Q000379:methods*; D011108:Polymers / Q000494:pharmacology; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D013552:Swine; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000821:virology; D016707:Tissue Fixation / Q000379:methods; D014758:Viral Core Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D005404:Fixatives; C048842:NP protein, Influenza A virus; D019590:Nucleocapsid Proteins; D011108:Polymers; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; D014758:Viral Core Proteins; D005557:Formaldehyde; C003043:paraform