A RAPID ASSAY FOR DETERMINATION OF ANTIVIRAL ACTIVITY AGAINST HUMAN CYTOMEGALOVIRUS

RC256, the recombinant human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) which expresses be ta-galactosidase, was used as a tool for rapid screening of compounds for antiviral activity. The effective concentration of antiviral compo und needed to inhibit RC256 was identical to the concentrations needed to inhibit other strains of HCMV as measured by plaque reduction assa y or virus yield reduction assay. Measurement of beta-galactosidase ac tivity in infected cell lysates allowed determination of effective con centrations 48 h postinfection with results comparable to the longer, more laborious assays.