Validation of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for detection of mouse parvovirus infection in laboratory mice.
OBJECTIVE
Parvoviruses are among the most prevalent infectious agents in mouse colonies. Infection in laboratory mice is confirmed by detection of serum antibodies to these agents, and most diagnostic tests cannot distinguish serogroup of the infecting agent. The principal objective of the research reported here was to develop and validate a sensitive, serogroup-specific diagnostic test that will distinguish between mouse parvovirus (MPV) and minute virus of mice (MVM) infection.


METHODS
The MPV VP2 protein was expressed in bacteria, purified by use of metal-chelation chromatography, and used as antigen in an ELISA. More than 580 sera from uninfected mice and experimentally or naturally infected mice were screened by MPV indirect fluorescent antibody (IFA) test, then were re-tested using the MPV ELISA to define test sensitivity and specificity. An additional 3,700 sera were screened using a variety of tests, including the MPV ELISA and recombinant NS1 ELISA (rNS1 ELISA).


RESULTS
Using MPV IFA test results as a benchmark, the MPV ELISA had sensitivity of 92.3% and specificity of 99.8%. In addition, the MPV ELISA detected anti-viral antibodies at a higher dilution of serum than did the IFA test, and confirmed the infecting agent as MPV or MVM. When compared directly in a commercial laboratory, the MPV ELISA had higher sensitivity (90.3% versus 65%) than and similar specificity (98.3% versus 99.6%) to the rNS1 ELISA.


CONCLUSIONS
The MPV VP2 ELISA provides a sensitive, serogroup-specific alternative for diagnosis and classification of parvovirus infection in laboratory mice.
Ball-Goodrich
Lisa J
LJ
Section of Comparative Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06510, USA.
Hansen
George
G
Dhawan
Rajeev
R
Paturzo
Frank X
FX
Vivas-Gonzalez
Beatriz E
BE
D000818:Animals; D000830:Animals, Laboratory; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D002213:Capsid / Q000276:immunology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000662:veterinary*; D051379:Mice; D008915:Minute Virus of Mice / Q000276:immunology; D010322:Parvoviridae Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000662:veterinary*; D017992:Parvovirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D012376:Rodent Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
D000914:Antibodies, Viral