The comparison of neutralization indices (SMIT & WILTERDINK, 1966) was used for the intratypic serodifferentiation of 49 strains of poliovirus of types 1, 2 and 3, isolated from clinical cases with and without known contact with Sabin oral vaccine. This method was, as well, compared with the Wecker test and the RCT40 marker, in relation to the strains of poliovirus of type 3. The immune sera used in the neutralization tests were obtained from guinea pigs inoculated with vaccine strains LSc2ab, P712Ch2ab and Leon 12a1b. The types 1 and 3 strains isolated from cases without contact with oral vaccine were identified as heterologous to the respective vaccinal strains. All the strains isolated from cases with known contact (vaccinated and contacts) were identified as isologous to the vaccinal strains, but two, one of which (type 1) was considered as intermediate and the other (type 3) was heterologous. It was not possible to explain conveniently the results obtained in relation to type 2 strains because the neutralization indices of Lansing prototype strain by serum P712Ch2ab varied from one test to the other. The intratypic serodifferentiation of type 3 polioviruses by comparison of neutralization indices gave results comparable to the method of Wecker, showing to be a satisfactory method in view of the simplicity of its technique and particulary useful in epidemiologic surveys. The RCT40 marker gave results that show the necessity of using the intratypic serodifferentiation technique when dealing with type 3 strains.
Polioviruses; Vaccine strains; Isolation; Identification; Genetic markers; Antigenic marker; Intratypic serodifferentiation; Neutralization index; Antigenic drift
