title: Performance of new enzyme-linked fluorescent assays for detection of Epstein-Barr virus specific antibodies in routine diagnostics.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Indirect fluorescent antibody assays are still the gold standard for the detection of Epstein-Barr-virus-specific antibodies; however, this technique requires several manual steps and an experienced technician. This retrospective study investigated the performance of the new VIDAS(®) enzyme-linked fluorescent assays for automated qualitative detection of EBV VCA IgM, VCA/EA IgG, and EBNA IgG antibodies in routine diagnostics.
  
  
  METHODS
  174 serum samples were tested first with the gold standard. In context with the clinical status, 60 samples IFA IgG/IgM positive and with clinical symptoms compatible with infectious mononucleosis, 26 samples IFA IgG/IgM negative and missing any clinical symptoms and 88 samples with varying IFA status and without any clinical information were defined. In a second step all samples were retested with the new assays.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the overall agreement between VIDAS(®) and IFA for evaluable results, almost perfect agreement was observed (kappa = 0.91; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.86-0.97). Estimating all indeterminate VIDAS(®) results as discordant or concordant the observed kappa values were 0.71 (CI 0.63-0.79) and 0.93 (CI 0.88-0.98), respectively. With the new assays 45, 22, and 70 identical results were obtained, respectively. Western blot analysis of the discrepant samples showed a quasi similar performance of both assays.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The new VIDAS(®) assays can be an alternative to IFA testing especially in high-throughput laboratories. Full automation of EBV serological diagnostis by the new VIDAS assays is of major importance for routine diagnostic laboratories.
authors: Department of Virology and Serological Diagnostics, Institute of Hygiene, Microbiology and Environmental Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Austria. christoph.koidl@medunigraz.at
authors: Christoph
authors: C
authors: Koidl
authors: Regina
authors: R
authors: Riedl
authors: Bettina
authors: B
authors: Schweighofer
authors: Sandra
authors: S
authors: Fett
authors: Michael
authors: M
authors: Bozic
authors: Egon
authors: E
authors: Marth
mesh_terms: D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D003955:Diagnostic Tests, Routine / Q000379:methods*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods*; D020031:Epstein-Barr Virus Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral