Evaluation of Epstein-Barr virus antigen-based immunoassays for serological diagnosis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
BACKGROUND
Immunofluorescence (IF) assays based on Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-encoded antigens have traditionally been the preferred approach for serological screening of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).


OBJECTIVE
To compare the performance of two new commercial assays (indicated by COMM) using, respectively, the IF and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) formats with an in-house IF assay (IFA).


METHODS
Sera from 163 patients with histologically confirmed NPC, and 98 healthy controls were tested with each of these assays and their results compared.


RESULTS
The sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, respectively, for the COMM VCA IgA ELISA were 92.6%, 94.9%, 96.8%, 88.6%; for the COMM VCA IgA IFA were 96.9%, 41.8%, 73.5%, 89.1%; for the in-house VCA IgA IFA were 98.2%, 72.4%, 85.6%, 95.9%; for the COMM EA IgA ELISA were 46.6%, 100%, 100%, 53.0%; for the COMM EA IgA IFA were 77.3%, 100%, 100%, 72.6%; and for the in-house EA IgA IFA were 77.9%, 99.0%, 99.2%, 72.9%.


CONCLUSIONS
The receiver operating characteristic curves comparison showed a marginal superior accuracy for the COMM VCA IgA ELISA, suggesting this to be used as a high-throughput serological screening assay, with the more specific COMM EA IgA IFA as a follow-up confirmatory assay in this NPC-endemic area.
Tang
Julian W
JW
Department of Microbiology, Division of Otorhinolaryngology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong SAR, Hong Kong.
Rohwäder
Edda
E
Chu
Ida M T
IM
Tsang
Raymond K Y
RK
Steinhagen
Katja
K
Yeung
Apple C M
AC
To
K F
KF
Chan
Paul K S
PK
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D036022:Capsid Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique / Q000379:methods*; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012372:ROC Curve; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D036022:Capsid Proteins; D007070:Immunoglobulin A