Sensitive method to detect non-complement-fixing antibodies to Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigne.
The anti-complement immunofluorescence (ACIF) test was modified to detect non-complement-fixing antibodies to Epstein-Barr (EB) virus nuclear antigen (IBNA). These EBNA antibodies belong to the immunoglobulin classes IgA and IgG. In our method anti-human gamma-globulin (AHG) was bound to the EBNA antibodies before the complement was added. If only non-complement-fixing antibodies are present the complement can be fixed to the AHG. Within only a few weeks of the onset of infectious mononucleosis (IM) the non-complement-fixing EBNA antibodies reach high titers while the complement-fixing antibodies (detected by the ACIF test) are not yet present. Anti-EBNA-IgM antibodies were not found in the IgM fractions of sera taken at different stages of IM.
D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D000956:Antigens, Viral; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000276:immunology; D003168:Complement Fixation Tests / Q000379:methods; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000032:analysis; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000032:analysis; D007244:Infectious Mononucleosis / Q000276:immunology
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000956:Antigens, Viral; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M