title: Development and evaluation of an ELISA using recombinant fusion protein to detect the presence of host antibody to equine arteritis virus.
abstract: A recombinant glutathione-S-transferase fusion protein expressing amino acids 55-98 of equine arteritis virus (EAV) GL (rGL 55-98) was tested in an ELISA for its ability to detect serum antibodies to EAV. Host antibodies induced following EAV infection bound the recombinant antigen by ELISA. The ELISA specificity and sensitivity were determined with a panel of equine sera including postinfection and postvaccination samples. A good correlation existed between EAV neutralizing antibody titers and ELISA absorbance values (r = 0.827). The sensitivity and specificity of the ELISA were 99.6 and 90.1%, respectively, compared with EAV neutralization test and the recombinant antigen did not crossreact in ELISA with equine sera directed against other common equine respiratory viruses. Three post-EAV infection equine sera raised against different EAV isolates reacted strongly in the ELISA, as did two equine sera raised against EAV vaccines, indicating that the viral epitope was conserved between the viruses tested. Following vaccination with an inactivated whole virus vaccine, antibody detected with the recombinant antigen ELISA preceded the development of a virus-neutralizing response. The study demonstrates the potential application of rGL 55-98 as a diagnostic antigen.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, Animal Health Trust, Lanwades Park, Kennett, Newmarket, Suffolk, UK.
authors.forename: E D
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Chirnside
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Francis
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: de Vries
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sinclair
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Mumford
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D002460:Cell Line; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D007240:Equartevirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D006736:Horses; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins