False-positive results in a recombinant severe acute respiratory syndrome-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV) nucleocapsid enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay due to HCoV-OC43 and HCoV-229E rectified by Western blotting with recombinant SARS-CoV spike polypeptide.
Using paired serum samples obtained from patients with illness associated with increases in anti-human coronavirus OC43 (HCoV-OC43) or anti-HCoV-229E antibodies, we examined the possibility of false-positive results detected in a recombinant severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV) nucleocapsid protein immunoglobulin G enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Three of the 21 and 1 of the 7 convalescent-phase serum samples from persons with increases in antibodies against HCoV-OC43 and HCoV-229E, respectively, tested positive by the recombinant SARS-CoV nucleocapsid protein-based ELISA. None of these samples were found to contain a specific antibody in the recombinant SARS-CoV spike polypeptide-based Western blot assay.
Woo
Patrick C Y
PC
Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, University Pathology Building, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong. hkumicro@hkucc.hku.hk.
Lau
Susanna K P
SK
Wong
Beatrice H L
BH
Chan
Kwok-Hung
KH
Hui
Wai-Ting
WT
Kwan
Grace S W
GS
Peiris
J S Malik
JS
Couch
Robert B
RB
Yuen
Kwok-Yung
KY
D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D015153:Blotting, Western; D000086462:Coronavirus Nucleocapsid Proteins; D003429:Cross Reactions; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D006801:Humans; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D019590:Nucleocapsid Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D010455:Peptides / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D045473:Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus / Q000276:immunology*; D045169:Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000821:virology; D064370:Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000086462:Coronavirus Nucleocapsid Proteins; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D019590:Nucleocapsid Proteins; D010455:Peptides; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D064370:Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins