Abstract: This application includes description of antibodies for specifically detecting prions of human origin and methods for detecting pathogenic prions. In some embodiments, the antibodies bind to an epitope characteristic of a human prion protein which is not found in the prion proteins of other species. In some embodiments, the antibodies are not cross-reactive with cow, Syrian Gold hamster, mouse, or rat prions. The application also includes a conformation-dependent immunoassay method for detecting pathogenic prions in a sample containing a prion (PrP) protein. The PrP protein may be present in a first conformation and a second conformation, such as PrPc and PrPSc in which the two conformations have different binding affinity for the antibody used to detect them.

Abstract: This application includes description of antibodies for specifically detecting prions of human origin and methods for detecting pathogenic prions. In some embodiments, the antibodies bind to an epitope characteristic of a human prion protein which is not found in the prion proteins of other species. In some embodiments, the antibodies are not cross-reactive with cow, Syrian Gold hamster, mouse, or rat prions. The application also includes a conformation-dependent immunoassay method for detecting pathogenic prions in a sample containing a prion (PrP) protein. The PrP protein may be present in a first conformation and a second conformation, such as PrPc and PrPSc in which the two conformations have different binding affinity for the antibody used to detect them.

Abstract: This application includes description of antibodies for specifically detecting prions of human origin and methods for detecting pathogenic prions. In some embodiments, the antibodies bind to an epitope characteristic for a human prion protein which is not found in the prion proteins of other species. In some embodiments, the antibodies are not cross-reactive with cow, Syrian Gold hamster, mouse, or rat prions. The application also includes a conformation-dependent immunoassay method for detecting pathogenic prions in a sample containing a prion (PrP) protein. The PrP protein may be present in a first conformation and a second conformation, such as PrPC and PrPSc in which the two conformations have different binding affinity for the antibody used to detect them.

Abstract: Animal cells are described which can be infected by influenza viruses and which are adapted to growth in suspension in serum-free medium.

Abstract: Methods for growing and neutralizing or removing circoviruses, in particular porcine circoviruses, which are obtained from an infected cell culture after one or more passages in cultures of porcine, bovine or human cells are described. When the porcine circoviruses grow, a cytopathogenic effect occurs in the cell culture. The circoviruses can be neutralized by treatment with an antibody-containing substrate such as porcine serum or human immunoglobulin or be removed by a pasteurization method. Also described are a vaccine and a diagnostic aid containing inactivated or avirulent circoviruses.

Abstract: Methods for growing circoviruses, in particular porcine circoviruses, which are obtained from an infected cell culture after one or more passages in cultures of porcine, bovine or human cells are described. When the porcine circoviruses grow, a cytopathogenic effect occurs in the cell culture.

Abstract: Antibodies for specifically detecting pathogenic prions of human origin, and methods for detecting pathogenic prions, are described. In particular, a conformation-dependent immunoassay method for detecting pathogenic prion proteins in a sample of a body fluid, containing a PrP protein, which contains a first, natural, non-pathological conformation, i.e. PrPc, and a second, pathological conformation, i.e.

Abstract: Animal cells are described which can be infected by influenza viruses and which are adapted to growth in suspension in serum-free medium. Processes for the replication of influenza viruses in cell culture using these cells are furthermore described, as well as vaccines which contain the influenza viruses obtainable by the process or constituents thereof.

Abstract: A process and an agent for the sanitization of tissues or cell cultures and also of materials and equipment which can be contaminated with viruses are described. For sanitization, a solution of a substituted phenol or of a substituted phenol ether is employed here which as substituents carries one or two saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon radicals which in each case can have up to 4 carbon atoms.

Abstract: The invention relates to the removal of viruses from aqueous solutions, as a rule protein solutions, by ultrafiltration. This entails the viruses to be removed being increased in size by incubation with a high molecular weight receptor binding thereto, preferably a specific antibody, so that, on the one hand, the separation effect is improved and, on the other hand, a larger pore diameter which can now be chosen for the filters used also makes it possible for smaller viruses to be separated from larger protein molecules present in protein solutions, and, where appropriate, the filtration rate is increased.

Abstract: Methods for growing and neutralizing or removing circoviruses, in particular porcine circoviruses, which are obtained from an infected cell culture after one or more passages in cultures of porcine, bovine or human cells are described. When the porcine circoviruses grow, a cytopathogenic effect occurs in the cell culture. The circoviruses can be neutralized by treatment with an antibody-containing substrate such as porcine serum or human immunoglobulin or be removed by a pasteurization method. Also described are a vaccine and a diagnostic aid containing inactivated or avirulent circoviruses.

Abstract: A process for separating HIV from a fluid is described, in which the HIV is bound to a C1 esterase inhibitor immobilized on a support material. The process can be carried out both for the preparation of HIV-free blood donations and therapeutically for the reduction of the virus load in the blood by means of a blood lavage under the conditions of an extracorporeal blood circulation. The C1 esterase inhibitor can be bonded to a support material which is customary in affinity chromatography or to the fibers of a filter.

Abstract: A procedure for the detection of high virus concentrations in blood plasma and/or blood serum by means of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is described, in which the sensitivity of the PCR is restricted by the use of suboptimal nucleic acid extraction, amplification or detection conditions. This procedure is suitable, for example, for the detection of parvovirus DNA in plasma or serum, it being possible to adjust the sensitivity of the PCR such that the parvovirus DNA is only detected in samples whose DNA content is greater than 106 to 107 genome equivalents/ml. The detection of the parvovirus DNA amplification carried out is carried out in the sample by measurements of the fluorescence.