title: Quantitative assessment of anthrax vaccine immunogenicity using the dried blood spot matrix.
abstract: The collection, processing and transportation to a testing laboratory of large numbers of clinical samples during an emergency response situation present significant cost and logistical issues. Blood and serum are common clinical samples for diagnosis of disease. Serum preparation requires significant on-site equipment and facilities for immediate processing and cold storage, and significant costs for cold-chain transport to testing facilities. The dried blood spot (DBS) matrix offers an alternative to serum for rapid and efficient sample collection with fewer on-site equipment requirements and considerably lower storage and transport costs. We have developed and validated assay methods for using DBS in the quantitative anti-protective antigen IgG enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), one of the primary assays for assessing immunogenicity of anthrax vaccine and for confirmatory diagnosis of Bacillus anthracis infection in humans. We have also developed and validated high-throughput data analysis software to facilitate data handling for large clinical trials and emergency response.
authors.affiliation: Microbial Pathogenesis and Immune Response Laboratory, Meningitis and Vaccine Preventable Diseases Branch, Division of BacterialDiseases, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Mail Stop D-01, 1600 Clifton Rd. NE, Atlanta, GA 30333, United States. jschiffer@cdc.gov, aku3@cdc.gov
authors.forename: Jarad M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Schiffer
authors.forename: Panagiotis
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Maniatis
authors.forename: Ilana
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Garza
authors.forename: Evelene
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Steward-Clark
authors.forename: Lawrence T
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Korman
authors.forename: Phillip R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Pittman
authors.forename: Joanne V
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Mei
authors.forename: Conrad P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Quinn
mesh_terms: D000881:Anthrax / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology*; D022122:Anthrax Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology; D001408:Bacillus anthracis / Q000276:immunology*; D059788:Dried Blood Spot Testing / Q000379:methods*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D022122:Anthrax Vaccines; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D007074:Immunoglobulin G