COMPARISON OF MRC-5 AND A-549 CELLS IN CONVENTIONAL CULTURE TUBES ANDSHELL VIAL ASSAYS FOR THE DETECTION OF VARICELLA-ZOSTER VIRUS

A-549 and MRC-5 cells were compared for the detection of varicella-zos ter virus (VZV) by conventional tube cell culture and by shell vial as say using fresh specimens. VZV was detected in 33 (32.4%) of 102 speci mens by one or all of these methods. In conventional tube culture, sev en (21.2%) of 33 were positive in MRC-5 cells and 24 (72.7%) of 33 wer e positive in A-549 cells, a threefold increase in sensitivity. In she ll vial assay, 30 (90.9%) of 33 were positive in MRC-5 cells and 31 (9 3.9%) of 33 were positive in A-549 cells. The samples tested by A-549 shell vial assay had more positives showing plaque formation, The two shell vial procedures gave the highest levels of sensitivity. A-549 ce lls provided a more sensitive method of detecting VZV in clinical spec imens in both conventional tubes and shell vial assays than did MRC-5 cells.