A RAPID MICRO TISSUE CULTURE ASSAY IN BS-C-1 CELLS FOR THE TITRATION AND NEUTRALIZATION OF MEASLES VIRUS

Abstract

A simple, rapid and reproducible micro tissue culture assay in the BS-C-1 (Cercopithecus monkey kidney) cell line was developed for the titration and neutralization of measles virus. Serial dilutions of virus (or serum) were made with spiral loops in disposable microplates and 8 × 10³ BS-C-1 cells suspended in 0.05 ml of medium 199 with 2% fetal bovine serum were added to each dilution. After the addition of 0.1 ml of sterile mineral oil to each microculture, the plates were covered with a plexiglass sheet and placed in a humidified incubator (37 °C) under a constant pressure of 5% CO₂ for S days. Micro tissue cultures were examined with the aid of an inverted microscope for viral cytopathic changes on the fourth and fifth day.The micro assay was applied to the virus titration of various live, attenuated measles vaccines, as well as to the antibody titration of human and animal sera following vaccination with either live or inactivated measles vaccines.