title: The application of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay or an immunofluorescent assay test leads to different estimates of seroprevalence of Coxiella burnetii in the population.
abstract: The diagnosis and epidemiological studies of Q fever depend on serology. Among the main methods employed are the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and the immunofluorescent assay test (IFAT). We show that two commercial assays representing the two methods with two different cut-off titres can lead to significant differences in diagnostic and seroprevalence estimates. This in turn emphasizes the need for a standardized gold method to compare the various assays; whether this standard is 'in-house' or commercially obtained.
authors.affiliation: Jeroen Bosch Ziekenhuis, 's-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands. g.blaauw@gelre.nl
authors.forename: G J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Blaauw
authors.forename: D W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Notermans
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Schimmer
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Meekelenkamp
authors.forename: J H J
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Reimerink
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Teunis
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Schneeberger
mesh_terms: D016997:Coxiella burnetii / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D011778:Q Fever / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D012016:Reference Values; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies