Evaluation of a novel commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay detecting Coxiella burnetii-specific immunoglobulin G for Q fever prevaccination screening and diagnosis.
A novel commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for prevaccination screening and diagnosis of Q fever (PanBio Coxiella burnetii immunoglobulin G [IgG] ELISA) was compared to the complement fixation test (CFT), and the indirect fluorescent-antibody test (IFAT) was used to resolve discrepant results between the other two tests. A total of 214 serum samples was tested. The ELISA demonstrated a specificity of 96% (46 of 48 samples) and a sensitivity of 71% (95 of 134 samples). Of the six serum pairs showing CFT seroconversion, three pairs showed a corresponding ELISA seroconversion. No cross-reactivity was observed in the ELISA with serum samples from patients with mycoplasma, brucella, and chlamydia infections. One of the 13 patients with leptospirosis demonstrated a positive result in the ELISA but not in the CFT or the IFAT, and Legionella pneumophila serogroup 4 antibody was found in one of the two sera that were false-positive by ELISA. The results presented in this study suggest that the PanBio Q fever IgG ELISA is a specific alternative method for prevaccination testing and an aid for the diagnosis of Q fever. This test is suitable for use as a screening assay, with CFT and/or IFAT used to confirm negative results.
Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology Laboratory Services, Institute of Clinical Pathology and Medical Research, Westmead Hospital, Westmead, Queensland, Australia.
Peter R
PR
Field
Avelina
A
Santiago
Sau-Wan
SW
Chan
Dhara B
DB
Patel
David
D
Dickeson
Jody L
JL
Mitchell
Peter L
PL
Devine
Alan M
AM
Murphy
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D003168:Complement Fixation Tests; D016997:Coxiella burnetii / Q000276:immunology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood*; D008403:Mass Screening; D011778:Q Fever / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014611:Vaccination
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D007074:Immunoglobulin G