Production and characterisation of a human monoclonal antibody to cytomegalovirus and its use in an early nuclear fluorescence assay.

A human monoclonal antibody to cytomegalovirus (CMV) was produced by transforming peripheral blood mononuclear cells of a patient with recent CMV infection. It is directed against a late antigen located in the nucleus of CMV infected fibroblasts at 24-72 hours postinfection and immuneprecipitates 65K and 48K proteins from 35S-labelled CMV infected cells. Results of its use in an early nuclear fluorescence assay for rapid diagnosis are presented.