title: Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for detecting antibodies in sera of patients with adenovirus infection.
abstract: The 41 distinct antigenic types of adenoviruses (Ads) are responsible for a broad spectrum of diseases in humans. We have developed an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using adenovirus (Ad) infected MRC-5 cells for detecting IgG and IgM antibodies to Ads. Using the ELISA, we detected IgG antibodies in 100% (20/20) of sera from normal adults (geometric mean titer, GMT = 1840.8, range = 40-20,480) and IgM antibodies in 3 of 20 sera (15%) with a GMT of 25.1. Our indirect immunofluorescence (IF) technique also detected IgG antibodies in 100% of these sera (GMT = 248.3, range = 40-5,120) and IgM antibodies in the 3 samples reactive in ELISA (GMT = 20.0, range = less than 5-40). In contrast, the complement fixation (CF) test detected antibodies to Ads in only 65% (13/20) of these sera (GMT = 10.9, range = less than 4-32). Moreover, IgG and IgM responses could not be distinguished using CF. Thus the sensitivity of these three techniques is greatest for ELISA. Additionally, a study of sequential sera from 3 patients with acute Ad infection disclosed seroconversion using all three methods. Both the ELISA and IF techniques permit the detection of transition from IgM to IgG, whereas CF only detects conversion from seronegativity to seropositivity. Finally, preliminary data suggest that the IgM response as measured by ELISA is specific for subgroups or types of Ad. This newly devised ELISA may be useful for detecting Ad infections.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha 68105-1065.
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Thiele
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Okano
authors.forename: D T
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Purtilo
mesh_terms: D000257:Adenoviridae Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D000258:Adenovirus Infections, Human / Q000175:diagnosis*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis* / Q000096:biosynthesis; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002460:Cell Line; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003168:Complement Fixation Tests; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D005998:Glycine; D006801:Humans; D007106:Immune Sera / Q000032:analysis; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000276:immunology; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000276:immunology; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000956:Antigens, Viral; D007106:Immune Sera; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D005998:Glycine