Evaluation of the shell vial pre-CPE method using monoclonal antibodies for the diagnosis of human cytomegalovirus infection in the field of pediatrics.

A method of pre-cytopathological effects (CPE) detection in shell vial cultures using monoclonal antibodies (mAb) was evaluated for detection of cytomegalovirus (CMV) in pediatric specimens. The diagnostic value of antibody detection by enzyme immunoassay (EIA) was also evaluated. CMV was isolated from 47 of 1179 specimens tested by the routine tissue culture method. Positive results were obtained in 51 of these 1179 specimens using the pre-CPE method. The pre-CPE shell vial assay was demonstrated to be a rapid and sensitive method of detecting CMV. Detection of the virus by the pre-CPE method was considered much more reliable than by EIA IgM assays for pediatric patients.