Evaluation of a recombinant nucleocapsid protein-based assay for anti-SARS-CoV IgG detection.
A high throughput accurate assay for anti-SARS-CoV IgG detection is needed for large-scale epidemiological studies. The evaluation of a commercial recombinant nucleocapsid protein-based microtitre plate enzyme immunoassay, ELISARS is described. The results on 150 sera from SARS patients and 450 sera from non-SARS controls showed that this assay had a high level of sensitivity (96.2% for late serum samples) and specificity (97.8%). The performance and setup of this assay fulfills the requirement as a screening test for large-scale studies. A vast majority of SARS patients developed antibodies against the nucleocapsid protein. In some patients (10/45), a high level of anti-nucleocapsid antibody appeared very early in the course of the illness. In contrast, a minority (4 of 105 patients) never developed these antibodies. The implication of differences in antibody response to the nucleocapsid protein deserves further investigation.
Chan
Paul K S
PK
Centre for Emerging Infectious Diseases, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong SAR, China. paulkschan@cuhk.edu.hk
Liu
Esther Y M
EY
Leung
Danny T M
DT
Cheung
Jo L K
JL
Ma
C H
CH
Tam
Frankie C H
FC
Hui
Mamie
M
Tam
John S
JS
Lim
Pak Leong
PL
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D019590:Nucleocapsid Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D045473:Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus / Q000276:immunology*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D045169:Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / Q000276:immunology
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D019590:Nucleocapsid Proteins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins