Evaluation of two anti-hepatitis E virus IgM kits.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate two commercial anti-hepatitis E virus (HEV) IgM kits used for differential diagnosis of acute enteric viral hepatitis.


METHODS
The kit for IgM capture assay, was produced with a recombinant HEV structural protein protecting primates against experimental infection by different HEV genotypes, while the other kit for indirect ELISA was produced with recombinant structural proteins from different HEV genotypes. The serum specimens were taken from 241 cases with a confirmed or presumptive diagnosis of hepatitis A and 74 cases with a confirmed or presumptive diagnosis of hepatitis E.


RESULTS
The sensitivity and specificity of the IgM capture assay kit were 97% and 100%, respectively, and the corresponding values for the other kit were 70% and 78%, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
The IgM capture assay kit has higher sensitivity and specificity in diagnosing acute enteric viral hepatitis E.
Ge
Sheng-Xiang
SX
National Institute of Diagnostics and Vaccine Development for Infectious Diseases, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, Fujian, China.
Zheng
Ying-Jie
YJ
Guo
Qing-Shun
QS
Zhang
Jun
J
Jiang
Qing-Wu
QW
Ng
Mun-Hon
MH
Xia
Ning-Shao
NS
D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D016751:Hepatitis E / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic