Rapid neutralization assay for human cytomegalovirus antibody.

Human cytomegalovirus induces the appearance of immediate early antigens in infected cells 1 h after infection. This provided the basis for the development of a rapid neutralization assay for cytomegalovirus antibody which was able to yield results within a single day. Indirect immunofluorescence to visualize immediate early antigen-positive cells was applied to the rapid determination of cytomegalovirus-neutralizing antibody. The neutralization titers obtained with this assay on 92 serum samples were in accordance with the immune status as determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to cytomegalovirus-induced immediate early, early, and late antigens.