Postinfection treatment with antiviral serum results in survival of neural cells productively infected with virulent poliovirus.

The death of human neuroblastoma cells undergoing productive infection with virulent poliovirus was prevented by addition of antiserum against the virus a few hours after the onset of infection; this treatment, however, did not prevent reproduction of the virus. Despite the presence of the viral antigen, the cells retained the ability to divide. Upon further cultivation in the absence of antiserum, the cells developed specific postinfection immunity or resistance to superinfection with poliovirus.