title: The role of a recombinant hybrid protein based ELISA for the serodiagnosis of Onchocerca volvulus.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Onchocerca volvulus infection is traditionally diagnosed by examination of skin snips for the presence of microfilariae. A disadvantage of this method is the low sensitivity particularly with light or prepatent infection. Serodiagnosis using recombinant-antigen-based assays may provide a more sensitive diagnostic test. An ELISA based on a recombinant antigen OvH3 has previously been validated using sera from endemic areas. This study investigated the role of this ELISA-based assay for use in the serodiagnosis of onchocerciasis in non-endemic areas.
  
  
  METHODS
  The ELISA-based assay was tested on sera from untreated patients with known onchocerciasis and on untreated and treated patients with definite or probable onchocerciasis identified from a hospital diagnostic database. The assay was also tested on sera from patients with other helminthic infections to determine the sensitivity and specificity of this assay in a tertiary referral laboratory dealing with sera from a variety of patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The sensitivity and specificity of the OvH3 assay were 93.2% and 93.5%, respectively, when tested on non-endemic patients with clinical diagnosis of onchocerciasis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrates the potential role of the assay as a sensitive and specific test for use in the serodiagnosis of onchocerciasis in a reference laboratory dealing with sera from patients in non-endemic setting.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Parasitology, The Hospital for Tropical Diseases, Mortimer Market, London WC1E 6AU, UK. julie.andrews@whittington.nhs.uk
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Andrews
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Bligh
authors.forename: P L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Chiodini
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Bradley
authors.forename: P N
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Nde
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lucius
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000349:Africa; D017677:Age Distribution; D000818:Animals; D000947:Antigens, Helminth; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017181:Onchocerca volvulus / Q000276:immunology*; D009855:Onchocerciasis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012698:Serologic Tests
chemical_list: D000947:Antigens, Helminth; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D011994:Recombinant Proteins