THE INVENTION RELATES TO NEUTRALIZING ANTIBODIES WHICH ARE SPECIFIC FOR HUMAN CYTOMEGALOVIRUS AND BIND WITH HIGH AFFINITY AS WELL AS IMMORTALIZED B CELLS THAT PRODUCE SUCH ANTIBODIES. THE INVENTION ALSO RELATES TO THE EPITOPES THAT THE ANTIBODIES BIND TO AS WELL AS THE USE OF THE ANTIBODIES AND THE EPITOPES IN SCREENING METHODS AS WELL AS THE DIAGNOSIS AND THERAPY OF DISEASE.