title: Production and diagnostic application of recombinant domain III of West Nile envelope protein in Brazil.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  West Nile virus (WNV) is a flavivirus with a natural cycle involving mosquitoes and birds. Over the last 11 years, WNV has spread throughout the Americas with the imminent risk of its introduction in Brazil.
  
  
  METHODS
  Envelope protein domain III of WNV (rDIII) was bacterially expressed and purified. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with WNV rDIII antigen was standardized against mouse immune fluids (MIAFs) of different flavivirus.
  
  
  RESULTS
  WNV rDIII reacted strongly with St. Louis encephalitis virus (SLEV) MIAF but not with other flaviviruses.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This antigen may be a potentially useful tool for serologic diagnosis and may contribute in future epidemiological surveillance of WNV infections in Brazil.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Pesquisa em Virologia, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: Juliana Helena
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Chávez
authors.forename: Vinicius Pinho dos
authors.initials: VP
authors.lastname: Reis
authors.forename: Jaqueline Raymondi
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Helen Julie
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Laure
authors.forename: José Cesar
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Rosa
authors.forename: Benedito Antônio Lopes da
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Fonseca
authors.forename: Luiz Tadeu Moraes
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Figueiredo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D057134:Antibodies, Neutralizing / Q000276:immunology*; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000276:immunology*; D001938:Brazil; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D051379:Mice; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D014902:West Nile virus / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D057134:Antibodies, Neutralizing; D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins