title: An amplified ELISA for the detection of parvovirus B19 IgM using monoclonal antibody to FITC.
abstract: A new M-antibody capture ELISA for the detection of specific IgM against parvovirus B19 is described. The test uses a monoclonal anti-fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) antibody conjugated to horseradish peroxidase to amplify the positive reactions. Serum samples (N = 823) submitted for B19 IgM assay were tested in parallel in the new ELISA and the standard B19 M-antibody capture radioimmunoassay (MACRIA) test. By both tests B19 IgM was detected in 38 (4.6%) samples, and not detected in 771 (94%) samples. One sample was positive in the ELISA test but negative in the RIA and of the 13 sera giving 'equivocal' results in the MACRIA, 6 were positive and 7 negative. If the RIA equivocal results were excluded, the ELISA showed 100% (38/38) sensitivity and 99.9% (771/772) specificity compared to the MACRIA test. The B19 IgM ELISA is a sensitive and specific test with better discrimination between anti B19 IgM positive and negative specimens than MACRIA.
authors.affiliation: Virus Reference Laboratory, Central Public Health Laboratory, London, U.K.
authors.forename: K E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Buckley
authors.forename: B J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Samuel
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D016650:Fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate; D005452:Fluoresceins; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000032:analysis*; D051379:Mice; D010321:Parvoviridae / Q000276:immunology*; D013861:Thiocyanates
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D005452:Fluoresceins; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D013861:Thiocyanates; D016650:Fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate