Rapid diagnosis of cytomegalovirus infection by immunofluorescent detection of early antigen in cell culture.

The conventional culture method for the isolation of cytomegalovirus was used in parallel with the rapid method of early-antigen detection to test 485 specimens that had been collected from a total of 208 patients over a period of 11 months. Statistically, the rapid immunofluorescent method was significantly better than was the conventional test for the detection of cytomegalovirus infections. The rapid method is technically simple, sensitive and specific, and is also inexpensive when a suitable polyclonal antiserum is available. This test merits use in virology laboratories that service large hospitals.