Evaluation of an IgM immunoblot kit for dengue diagnosis.
A commercial IgM immunoblot kit was evaluated for dengue diagnosis with a panel of serum specimens collected from patients in a dengue endemic area. The kit is not recommended for use in its present form because of its undesirable rate of false-positive results. However, by substituting internal controls with the reference positive and negative controls that are more representative of those seen in endemic areas and by modifying the positive and negative scoring criteria, sensitivity and specificity of 80.3% and 94.5%, respectively, were obtained. These results are comparable with those obtained with the IgM ELISA on specimens, most of which were obtained from outpatient health care facilities. With further technical modifications, inclusion of a visual guide to ensure scoring standardization, and a more complete elaboration of the limitations of the test, wide application of the kit in diagnostic laboratories should be possible.
Kuno
G
G
Division of Vector-Borne Infectious Diseases, National Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado 80525-2087, USA.
Cropp
C B
CB
Wong-Lee
J
J
Gubler
D J
DJ
D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003429:Cross Reactions; D003715:Dengue / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology*; D003716:Dengue Virus / Q000276:immunology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D005416:Flavivirus / Q000276:immunology; D006385:Hemagglutination Inhibition Tests / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood*; D012015:Reference Standards; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012698:Serologic Tests / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D007075:Immunoglobulin M