∞ generated and posted on 2016.03.20 ∞
Clumping of red blood cells by specific but non-serological means.
Viral hemagglutination can be achieved by viruses that have an ability to bind to red blood cells, which includes the mumps, measles, and influenza viruses. The viral hemagglutination assay can be employed as a means of determining viral titers (i.e., virion density per unit volume). It also can be used as the basis of the viral hemagglutination inhibition test.
As a means of virus quantification, in comparison with standard plaque assays, viral agglutination is substantially faster, less expensive, and can be used to quantify viruses that otherwise are not able to form plaques. Alternatively, viral hemagglutination is not as accurate in assessing virus titer as plaque assays, plus can only be employed with those viruses which naturally bind to red blood cells.