title: SARS antibody test for serosurveillance.
abstract: A peptide-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) can be used for retrospective serosurveillance of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) by helping identify undetected chains of disease transmission. The assay was developed by epitope mapping, using synthetic peptides from the spike, membrane, and nucleocapsid protein sequences of SARS-associated coronavirus. The new peptide ELISA consistently detected seroconversion by week 2 of onset of fever, and seropositivity remained through day 100. Specificity was 100% on normal blood donor samples, on serum samples associated with infection by other pathogens, and on an interference panel. The peptide-based test has advantages of safety, standardization, and automation over previous immunoassays for SARS. The assay was used for a retrospective survey of healthy healthcare workers in Taiwan who treated SARS patients. Asymptomatic seroconversions were detected in two hospitals that had nosocomial disease.
authors.affiliation: National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Po-Ren
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Hsueh
authors.forename: Chuan-Liang
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Kao
authors.forename: Chun-Nan
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Li-Kuan
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Mei-Shang
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sia
authors.forename: Xin De
authors.initials: XD
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: Shugene
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lynn
authors.forename: Tseng Yyuan
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Shi Kau
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Alan M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Walfield
authors.forename: Chang Yi
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D045473:Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus / Q000276:immunology*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D045169:Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral