Comparison of a monoclonal antibody-blocking enzyme-linked immunoassay and a strip immunoblot assay for identifying type-specific herpes simplex virus type 2 serological responses.
Detection of herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2)-specific antibodies by a monoclonal antibody (MAb)-blocking enzyme-linked immunoassay (EIA) was compared with detection by a strip immunoblot assay (SIA) in a sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinic population. The study population consisted of 1,683 genitourinary medicine clinic attendees (582 women and 1,101 men). Sera were tested for the presence of HSV-2 antibody by use of the blocking EIA, in which binding of the MAb AP-1 to HSV-2 glycoprotein G-2 (gG-2) is blocked by HSV-2-specific antibody. The Chiron RIBA HSV-1 and -2 strip immunoassay (SIA) utilizes HSV-1- and HSV-2-specific or cross-reactive antigens immobilized on nitrocellulose strips (HSV gB-1 and HSV gG-1 peptide bands specific for HSV-1 antibody, HSV-2 gG-2 band specific for HSV-2 antibody, and HSV gD-2 band cross-reactive for HSV-1 and HSV-2 antibodies). A total of 1,612 sera were tested by MAb-blocking EIA for HSV-2 antibody and by SIA for HSV-1 and HSV-2 antibodies. By EIA, 541 (33.6%) sera were positive for HSV-2 antibody and 1,068 sera were negative for HSV-2 antibody; 3 sera gave equivocal results. HSV-2 antibody was detected in 555 (34.4%) sera by SIA; 144 (26%) of these sera possessed only HSV-2 antibody, and 411 (74%) sera contained both HSV-1 and HSV-2 antibodies. SIA detected HSV-1 antibody in 1,155 (71.6%) sera; 744 (64%) of these sera contained HSV-1 antibody alone. Sixteen sera contained antibody against HSV but could not be typed by SIA. A total of 512 sera were positive for HSV-2 antibody by both the EIA and SIA. We concluded that the blocking EIA and SIA showed a high level of agreement in detecting HSV-2 antibody in this population. In contrast to the SIA, the blocking EIA is a useful tool for large epidemiological studies, though the SIA proved to be slightly more sensitive once sera with discrepant results were further tested.
Van Doornum
G J
GJ
Municipal Health Service, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. bagdo@slv.nl
Slomka
M J
MJ
Buimer
M
M
Groen
J
J
Van den Hoek
J A
JA
Cairo
I
I
Vyse
A
A
Brown
D W
DW
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D018258:Herpesvirus 2, Human / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012698:Serologic Tests / Q000379:methods*
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000914:Antibodies, Viral