[The immunoassay of IgM antibodies in samples clinically suspected of measles]

60 matched sera clinically suspicious of measles that were received at the Diagnostic Laboratory of the "Pedro Kourí" Tropical Medicine Institute between January and May, 1996, coming from the seroepidemiological surveillance of the MPR vaccine were studied. The detection of measles and rubella hemagglutinant antibodies, as well as of IgM, was carried out with the Clark Laboratories INC. Measles IgM ELISA diagnostic kit. The positive cases were confirmed by the IgM-indirect immunofluorescence and neutralization. 3 positive cases to measles and rubella, which were negative to measles IgM, were obtained by hemagglutination inhibition. Antibodies against Epstein Barr, cytomegalovirus and herpes simplex virus were also determined by indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) due to the capacity of these viruses to induces polyclonal responses. 6 positive cases, which were negative by IIF, were detected by means of the above mentioned diagnostic kit.