Noninvasive and label-free determination of virus infected cells by Raman spectroscopy.

The present study demonstrates that Raman spectroscopy is a powerful tool for the detection of virus-infected cells. Adenovirus infection of human embryonic kidney 293 cells was successfully detected at 12, 24, and 48 h after initiating the infection. The score plot of principal component analysis discriminated the spectra of the infected cells from those of the control cells. The viral infection was confirmed by the conventional immunostaining method performed 24 h after the infection. The newly developed method provides a fast and label-free means for the detection of virus-infected cells.