A new solid-phase enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for specific antibodies to measles virus.

A convenient and flexible enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay system for the detection of specific antibodies to measles virus has been developed. In this system infected cells are desiccated on 96-well microtiter plates and stored at room temperature. After incubation of samples to be tested in the cell-coated plates and subsequent washing, bound antibodies are detected with a peroxidase-conjugated staphylococcal protein A probe. After another washing and the addition of the appropriate substrate, the amount of bound probe is estimated by colorimetric analysis. This technique offers several advantages. The need for a purified viral antigen source is obviated. The plates are easily prepared and can be stored for months at room temperature. Major viral epitopes, including surface glycoproteins as well as cytoplasmic viral antigens, are preserved despite desiccation. The method is more sensitive than the conventional means of virus-specific antibody detection.