Viral assays made easy with FociSpot

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FociSpot is an innovative assay kit designed to detect and quantify focus-forming units (FFUs) precisely.

The assay is easily adaptable for measuring neutralizing antibody titers, quantifying virus titers in samples, or 50% tissue Culture infectious Dose (TCID50). The FociSpot kits include a 96-well tissue culture plate, detection reagents, and reading solution, enabling high-throughput analysis and seamless implementation into laboratory workflows.

Customizable for your needs

Every viral assay is unique, so we have streamlined detection and reading steps. Typically, in a focus reduction neutralization test (FRNT), serum dilutions containing potential neutralizing antibodies (nAbs) are mixed with a known virus titer and incubated on a 96-well monolayer. After incubation, the FociSpot protocol comes into play. It begins with fixation, followed by a biotinylated virus-specific mAb for detection, and then a streptavidin-ALP conjugate. Once the substrate is added, foci become visible, just as in ELISpot, and can be counted using the ELISpot and FluoroSpot reader Mabtech IRIS 2.

Applications in virology research

FociSpot is our umbrella name for focus-forming assay (FFA) kits. These FFAs can be utilized in various ways for your virus research.

• Virus quantification – FFA techniques like TCID50 determine infectious virus levels, essential for viral load assessment.
• Antiviral drug testing – Identify effective drug concentrations to inhibit viral replication, aiding drug development.
• Vaccine efficacy – Measure neutralizing antibody titers to evaluate vaccine-induced immune responses.
• Viral pathogenesis – Compare strain infectivity and mutation effects on viral evolution and virulence.

Automated, accurate foci counting

The Apex software on IRIS 2 now supports FociSpot for fully automated foci enumeration. Simply select the format, insert the plate, and press read. The software quickly captures images and applies count settings to enumerate foci. The RAWSpot algorithm detects small, spot-like foci, while the cluster algorithm identifies larger clusters, ensuring flexible and precise quantification. Counting foci has never been easier or more accurate.