Enhanced cytotoxicity of human lymphocytes against rabies-infected cells by rabies-specific antibodies.

Human anti-rabies immune sera enhanced the in vitro cytotoxicity of human lymphocytes against rabies virus-infected green-monkey kidney cells. The immune sera were collected from patients immunized with rabies vaccine produced either in human diploid cells or in nervous tissue. Significant cytotoxicity was observed even with high serum dilutions, indicating that the K-cell assay might be a sensitive tool for detection of anti-rabies antibodies.