The use of serum spotted onto filter paper for diagnosing and monitoring Chikungunya virus infection.
BACKGROUND
The recent emergence of Chikungunya Virus (CHIKV) in the Americas constitutes a major public health problem on this continent, where the mosquito vector is widespread. The rapid diagnosis of suspected cases is essential for the monitoring and control of this ongoing outbreak. However, this requires reliable tools that are difficult to establish in areas without specialized laboratories.


OBJECTIVE
The aim was to evaluate the performances of serum samples spotted onto filter paper for molecular and serological diagnosis of Chikungunya infection.


METHODS
Analyses were performed from frozen sera and serum spotted onto filter paper provided from 121 Chikungunya suspected cases collected at a biological laboratory on Saint-Martin Island.


RESULTS
This approach performed well in comparisons with standard methods, with a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 93.6% for the combined technical approaches (RT-PCR and serological results). Comparisons of serum samples spotted onto filter paper and frozen samples showed a concordance rate of 94.8% in molecular tests and 98.2% in serological tests.


CONCLUSIONS
This simple sampling technique could overcome the problems of the lack of efficient CHIKV diagnosis tools in remote regions, providing good results regardless of the molecular or serological approach used. This simple filter paper-based method can be used to diagnose both chikungunya and dengue infections, as previously demonstrated following transport at ambient temperature to specialized laboratories. Given the set-up costs and high performance of this method, it could be recommended for the monitoring and control of Chikungunya virus expansion in the Americas and in other affected regions.
Laboratoire de Virologie, Centre National de Référence des Arbovirus, Laboratoire associé, Institut Pasteur de la Guyane, Cayenne, French Guiana. Electronic address: smatheus@pasteur-cayenne.fr.
Séverine
S
Matheus
Laboratoire d'Analyses Médicales Saint-Martin Biologie, Saint-Martin, France.
Patricia
P
Huc
Laboratoire de Virologie, Centre National de Référence des Arbovirus, Laboratoire associé, Institut Pasteur de la Guyane, Cayenne, French Guiana.
Bhety
B
Labeau
Laboratoire de Virologie, Centre National de Référence des Arbovirus, Laboratoire associé, Institut Pasteur de la Guyane, Cayenne, French Guiana.
Laetitia
L
Bremand
Laboratoire de Virologie, Centre National de Référence des Arbovirus, Laboratoire associé, Institut Pasteur de la Guyane, Cayenne, French Guiana.
Antoine
A
Enfissi
Centre National de Référence des Arbovirus, Institut de Recherche Biomédicale des Armées, Marseille, France.
Olivier
O
Merle
Centre National de Référence des Arbovirus, Institut de Recherche Biomédicale des Armées, Marseille, France.
Olivier
O
Flusin
Laboratoire de Virologie, Centre National de Référence des Arbovirus, Laboratoire associé, Institut Pasteur de la Guyane, Cayenne, French Guiana.
Dominique
D
Rousset
Centre National de Référence des Arbovirus, Institut de Recherche Biomédicale des Armées, Marseille, France.
Isabelle
I
Leparc-Goffart
D000569:Americas; D065632:Chikungunya Fever / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003890:Desiccation; D006801:Humans; D025202:Molecular Diagnostic Techniques / Q000379:methods; D010209:Paper; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012698:Serologic Tests / Q000379:methods; D044967:Serum / Q000821:virology*; D013048:Specimen Handling / Q000379:methods*
Chikungunya; Diagnosis; Filter paper