An easy method for detection of rheumatic antigen(s) in rheumatic fever/rheumatic heart disease patients by dot-ELISA.
BACKGROUND
Various monoclonal antibodies developed against human B cell alloantigen have different positivity in different population groups around the world. Thus, monoclonal antibody D8/17, found to be 100% specific for rheumatic fever/rheumatic heart disease (RF/RHD) patients from New York, identified only 62% to 68% in the north Indian population.


METHODS
A battery of monoclonal antibodies against B cell alloantigen was developed in Indian RF/RHD patients. A total of 50 patients and 25 controls were studied.


RESULTS
These antibodies, named PG-12A, -13A and -20A, demonstrate more specificity in north Indian patients. In dot-ELISA, these antibodies correctly show the presence of the marker in 84% of RHD and 90% of recurrence of rheumatic activity patients.


CONCLUSIONS
It is suggested that different alloantigens are expressed in the north Indian population. This standardized dot-ELISA is low cost and simple to use, and has a very high percentage of sensitivity, specificity and positive predictive value for this population.
Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg. dkumar@sbrc.umanitoba.ca
D
D
Kumar
S
S
Kaur
A
A
Grover
P K
PK
Singal
N K
NK
Ganguly
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D007519:Isoantigens / Q000276:immunology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012213:Rheumatic Fever / Q000276:immunology*; D012214:Rheumatic Heart Disease / Q000276:immunology*
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D007519:Isoantigens