Automated cytopathic effect (CPE) assays

An automated CPE procedure has been developed that increases the precision and ease of performing titrations of measles, mumps and rubella viruses in vaccine materials. By this procedure, additions of cell suspensions and reagents and the dilution of samples are performed automatically by a modified Dynatiter instrument, using 96-well microtitre plates. Cell monolayers are stained with carbolfuchsin dye to eliminate the need for microscopic examination. Finally, the trays are read in an optical scanner and the end points calculated automatically by a programmable calculator. The increased accuracy and precision attained by performing greater numbers of replicate assays at reasonable cost will be of particular value to vaccine manufacturers.