title: Evaluation of an immunofiltration assay that detects immunoglobulin M antibodies against the ZEBRA protein for the diagnosis of Epstein-Barr virus infectious mononucleosis in immunocompetent patients.
abstract: The performance of an immunofiltration assay (IMFA) that detects immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibodies to the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) ZEBRA (BamHI Z EBV replication activator) protein was evaluated for the diagnosis of EBV infectious mononucleosis (IM) in immunocompetent patients. The test panel consisted of 47 sera displaying an EBV-specific antibody profile compatible with an acute primary EBV infection from patients with clinical and biological features of EBV IM, 20 sera from healthy individuals either with a past EBV infection or who were EBV seronegative, 20 sera displaying an equivocal EBV antibody pattern (viral capsid antigen IgG positive [VCA IgG+], VCA IgM+, and EBV nuclear antigen-1 IgG+), and 15 sera obtained from patients with a mononucleosis-like syndrome owing to cytomegalovirus, human herpesvirus 6, or parvovirus B19. Overall, the sensitivity and the specificity of the assay were found to be 92.5%, and 97.3%, respectively. The sensitivity of the assay for the diagnosis of heterophile antibody-negative EBV IM was 86.2%. The IMFA is rapid, easy to perform, and, thus, suitable for point-of-care testing, and it may be used as a first-line test for the diagnosis of acute EBV IM in immunocompetent patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Hospital Clínico Universitario, Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: Dayana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bravo
authors.forename: Beatriz
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Muñoz-Cobo
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.forename: M Angeles
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Clari
authors.forename: Nuria
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tormo
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Navarro
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007118:Immunoassay / Q000379:methods; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood*; D007223:Infant; D007244:Infectious Mononucleosis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000276:immunology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; C063676:BZLF1 protein, Herpesvirus 4, Human; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D015534:Trans-Activators