title: Measurement of antibodies against meningococcal capsular polysaccharides B and C in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays: towards an improved surveillance of meningococcal disease.
abstract: In order to improve the surveillance of serogroup B and C meningococcal diseases, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) specific for anti-B immunoglobulin M (IgM) and anti-C IgM and IgG antibodies were developed. The tests were evaluated by using paired sera from 122 patients with and 101 patients without laboratory evidence of meningococcal disease. Fifty-three of 67 patients (79%) with culture-confirmed serogroup B disease had an anti-B IgM antibody response; anti-B IgM levels waned rapidly in children < or = 4 years of age. Twenty-four of 25 patients (96%) with culture-confirmed serogroup C disease had an anti-C IgM and/or IgG antibody response (IgM, 92%; IgG, 68%). In patients without evidence of meningococcal disease, 19% of children < or = 4 years of age and 69% of those > 4 years of age had intermediate anti-B IgM titers. In contrast, only 1 and 5% of these patients had intermediate titers of anti-C IgM and anti-C IgG, respectively. The ELISAs were shown to be powerful tools for discriminating between serogroup B and C diseases in 96 to 100% of culture-confirmed cases. For 90% of patients with culture-negative meningococcal disease, a serogroup-specific diagnosis could be established by examination of paired sera in the ELISAs. As serogroup B and C meningococci account for practically all cases of meningococcal disease in industrialized countries, the availability of these tests may improve surveillance and prevention.
authors.affiliation: Neisseria Department, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen S., Denmark.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Andersen
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Berthelsen
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Lind
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D016667:Bacterial Capsules; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D007223:Infant; D008585:Meningitis, Meningococcal / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology*; D008589:Meningococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009345:Neisseria meningitidis / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology*; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology*; D012703:Serotyping
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial; C039455:capsular polysaccharide, meningococcal group B; C037676:meningococcal group C polysaccharide