Diagnosis of measles by fluorescent antibody and culture of nasopharyngeal secretions.

An indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFA) was evaluated using commercial mouse anti-measles monoclonal antibody and FITC-labeled goat anti-mouse immunoglobulin. For measles isolation, specimens were inoculated into Rhesus monkey kidney (RMK) cells and, when available, CV-1 cells. 381 specimens were tested by IFA and 408 specimens were cultured from patients suspected of having measles. For the 381 specimens tested by both methods, IFA and culture were positive for 31%, culture alone for 14%, IFA alone for 15%, and both negative for 40%. This study indicates that both IFA and culture are required for maximum measles virus detection. Of the positive specimens, 48% were detected either by IFA only (24%) or culture only (24%). IFA was positive in 69% of the culture-positive specimens and therefore, provided rapid diagnosis for many patients.