title: Development of an enzyme immunoassay to detect antibody to Chlamydia pneumoniae strain TWAR and its application in a limited seroepidemiological survey.
abstract: A non-competitive enzyme immunoassay (EIA) was developed to detect IgG antibody to the recently-described species Chlamydia pneumoniae strain TWAR. Purified elementary bodies of the organism were used as capture antigen. Cross-reacting antibody to Chlamydia trachomatis was detected in the assay by running a parallel EIA for IgG antibody to C. trachomatis. The C. pneumoniae assay was validated by comparing the results on 60 selected sera with those obtained with the microimmunofluorescence test. The comparison indicated that the EIA had a sensitivity of 88%, specificity of 100% and overall correlation with micro-immunofluorescence of 93%. The assay was applied to 352 sera from 3 populations within Australasia in a limited survey to determine the extent of exposure to this organism. Prevalence rates of up to 55% were found, suggesting that a significant amount of respiratory disease in the region may be due to C. pneumoniae strain TWAR.
authors.affiliation: Unit of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, Flinders University, Bedford Park, South Australia.
authors.forename: P G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Hallsworth
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Wesselingh
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: McDonald
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D002692:Chlamydia trachomatis / Q000276:immunology*; D016993:Chlamydophila pneumoniae / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010219:Papua New Guinea / Q000453:epidemiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D012698:Serologic Tests
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D007074:Immunoglobulin G