Assay Details

S. aureus secretes a number of virulence factors, among the most prominent of which is the small β-barrel pore-forming toxin α-hemolysin (also known as alpha-toxin).

A rabbit red blood cell lysis assay has been developed to assess the neutralizing ability of antibodies in samples against alpha-toxin. Percentage lysis, percentage neutralization and the NT50 values for the samples (the dilution or concentration of the sample that gives 50% neutralization) can be calculated.