title: An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for detection of avian influenza virus subtypes H5 and H7 antibodies.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Avian influenza virus (AIV) subtypes H5 and H7 attracts particular attention because of the risk of their potential pathogenicity in poultry. The haemagglutination inhibition (HI) test is widely used as subtype specific test for serological diagnostics despite the laborious nature of this method. However, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) are being explored as an alternative test method.H5 and H7 specific monoclonal antibodies were experimentally raised and used in the development of inhibition ELISAs for detection of serological response specifically directed against AIV subtypes H5 and H7. The ELISAs were evaluated with polyclonal chicken anti-AIV antibodies against AIV subtypes: H1N2, H5N2, H5N7, H7N1, H7N7, H9N9, H10N4 and H16N3.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both the H5 and H7 ELISA proved to have a high sensitivity and specificity and the ELISAs detected H5 and H7 antibodies earlier during experimental infection than the HI test did. The reproducibility of the ELISA's performed at different times was high with Pearson correlation coefficients of 0.96-0.98.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The ELISAs are a potential alternative to the HI test for screening of large amounts of avian sera, although only experimental sera were tested in this study.
authors.affiliation: Department of Poultry, Fish and Fur Animals, National Veterinary Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Hangøvej 2, Aarhus DK-8000, Denmark. trine@bio.aau.dk.
authors.forename: Trine H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Jensen
authors.forename: Gitte
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ajjouri
authors.forename: Kurt J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Handberg
authors.forename: Marek J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Slomka
authors.forename: Vivien J
authors.initials: VJ
authors.lastname: Coward
authors.forename: Martine
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cherbonnel
authors.forename: Véronique
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Jestin
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lind
authors.forename: Poul H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Jørgensen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002645:Chickens; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D019267:Hemagglutinin Glycoproteins, Influenza Virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D009980:Influenza A virus / Q000145:classification* / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism; D005585:Influenza in Birds / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000821:virology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013047:Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D019267:Hemagglutinin Glycoproteins, Influenza Virus; C109963:hemagglutinin, avian influenza A virus