An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, ELISA, for SV40 antigen detection

The exclusion of SV40 contamination in poliovaccine produced in Cynomolgus monkey kidney cell cultures is routinely done by inoculation of the inactivated vaccine into Cercopithecus monkey kidney cell cultures where a cytopathic effect reveals the presence of the virus. An ELISA is described for the detection of SV40 antigen and the efficiency of antigen detection was compared with the development of cytopathic effect in Cercopithecus tissue cultures. The assay shortened considerably the time for production control and was in full agreement with the conventional test method.