Clinical reliability of IgG, IgA, and IgM antibodies in detecting Epstein-Barr virus at different stages of infection with a commercial nonrecombinant polyantigenic ELISA.
We studied the diagnostic reliability of a modification of the Enzygnost EBV test (Behringwerke, Germany) for the detection of IgG, IgA, and IgM antibodies (Abs) in the diagnosis of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) disease. One hundred and twenty-three serum samples were studied: 14 asymptomatic subjects without EBV infection, 48 patients with primary infection, 46 subjects with past EBV infection (11 patients with other acute infections), 8 patients without EBV infection but with other viral infection, and 7 patients with probable acute clonal stimulation of B lymphocytes caused by different microorganisms. Enzygnost EBV is based on an ELISA test with a pool of viral antigens. In our series the reliability of IgM for the diagnosis of recent primary EBV infection was: sensitivity 100%, specificity 95%, positive predictive value 90.5%, and negative predictive value 100%. The IgG detection with Enzygnost was: sensitivity 98%, specificity 100%, positive predictive value 100%, and negative predictive value 91.7%. Only two subjects had positive IgA. The Enzygnost test is an efficient method for the diagnosis of EBV infection although a few IgM false positives can occur.
Gutiérrez
J
J
Microbiology Department, University Hospital San Cecilio, Granada University, Spain. josegf@goliat.ugr.es
Vergara
M J
MJ
Piédrola
G
G
Maroto
M C
MC
D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods*; D020031:Epstein-Barr Virus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000097:blood*; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood*; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M