Medical Research and Evaluation Facility (MREF) and Studies Supporting theMedical Chemical Defense Program: Development of Procedures to Enhance Atropine Antisera Production in Rabbits

摘要

The purpose of this study was to improve the production of rabbit anti-atropineantisera for future analytical studies. There were two phases to this project: evaluation of methods to enhance atropine antisera titers, and antisera production and characterization. Anti-atropine antisera were prepared using a high-density conjugate. The radioimmunoassay performance characteristics were similar for both the Battelle and Walter Reed Army Institute of Research antisera. However, a lower detection limit and a more dynamic response range were obtained with the Battelle antisera. Minor changes were made in the atropine radioimmunoassay to improve its reliability. There were approximately 250 mL of atropine antisera collected during this project, providing a useful antisera supply adequate for 250,000 tests.