Improvement in establishing the period of rubella virus primary infection using a mild protein denaturant.
A more precise determination of the date of primary rubella infection in pregnancy is obtained by application of the urea denaturation method. Two denaturation buffers containing 6 and 8 M urea were compared for the detection of rubella IgG avidity by enzyme immunoassay. The results demonstrate that IgG avidity detected by 6M urea increases more rapidly, from 16% on the third day to 51% on the 46th day after the rash, than that obtained by 8 M urea, from 13 to 36%. The specific rubella IgG avidity detected by 6 M urea denaturation buffer increased significantly in paired sera obtained at an interval of 15 days. The same samples did not show any significant increase of IgG avidity when an 8 M urea denaturation buffer was used. The use of a mild denaturant such as 6 M urea indicates the presumptive date of primary rubella infection in pregnancy within 2 months of sampling.
Condorelli
F
F
Virology Unit, University of Catania, Italy.
Stivala
A
A
Gallo
R
R
Musumeci
E
E
Scatà
M C
MC
Strano
L
L
Pennisi
M
M
Russo
G
G
Castro
A
A
Scalia
G
G
D000208:Acute Disease; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D000915:Antibody Affinity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007118:Immunoassay; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D011489:Protein Denaturation; D012409:Rubella / Q000276:immunology*; D013997:Time Factors; D014508:Urea
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D014508:Urea