Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for measurement of serological response to respiratory syncytial virus infection.

An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was applied to the detection of serum antibodies against respiratory syncytial virus. The end points of the various sera tested in the assay were approximately 100 times higher than in the complement-fixation test and 2 to 4 times higher than in the plaque reduction test. In addition, the immunosorbent assay appeared to be more efficient than the plaque reduction and complement-fixation techniques for detecting a serological response in young infants (1 to 6 months old) with serous respiratory syncytial virus lower respiratory disease. The simplicity, sensitivity, and rapidity of the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay make it a useful tool for immunological studies with respiratory syncytial virus.