The effect of polysaccharides on the reaction between erythrocytes and viruses, with particular reference to mumps virus.

Polysaccharides which cause inhibition of the multiplication of mumps virus in the allantoic sac may or may not cause inhibition of hemagglutination by the virus. Moreover, such substances may or may not prevent adsorption of the virus by erythrocytes. The available evidence indicates that polysaccharides active as inhibitors do not block adsorption of mumps virus by cells of the living allantoic membrane. With influenza A, influenza B, and Newcastle disease viruses, as well as with PVM, there also appears to be a lack of correlation between the in vitro and in vivo inhibiting activity of polysaccharides.