title: Automated Evaluation of Crithidia luciliae Based Indirect Immunofluorescence Tests: A Novel Application of the EUROPattern-Suite Technology.
abstract: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a severe rheumatic autoimmune disease with various clinical manifestations. Anti-dsDNA antibodies are an important immunological hallmark of SLE and their occurrence represents a major criterion for the diagnosis. Among the commonly applied test systems for determination of anti-dsDNA antibodies, the indirect immunofluorescence test (IIFT) using the flagellated kinetoplastida Crithidia luciliae is considered to be highly disease specific at moderate sensitivity. Since IIFT, however, is claimed to be affected by subjective interpretation and a lack of standardization, there has been an increasing demand for automated pattern interpretation of immunofluorescence reactions in recent years. Corresponding platforms are already available for evaluation of anti-nuclear antibody (ANA) IIFT on HEp-2 cells, the recommended "gold standard" for ANA screening in the diagnosis of various systemic rheumatic autoimmune diseases. For one of these systems, the "EUROPattern-Suite" computer-aided immunofluorescence microscopy (CAIFM), automated interpretation of microscopic fluorescence patterns was extended to the Crithidia luciliae based anti-dsDNA IIFT.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Experimental Immunology, EUROIMMUN, Seekamp 31, 23560 Lübeck, Germany.
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gerlach
authors.affiliation: Institute for Experimental Immunology, EUROIMMUN, Seekamp 31, 23560 Lübeck, Germany.
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Affeldt
authors.affiliation: Institute for Experimental Immunology, EUROIMMUN, Seekamp 31, 23560 Lübeck, Germany.
authors.forename: Lena
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pototzki
authors.affiliation: Institute for Experimental Immunology, EUROIMMUN, Seekamp 31, 23560 Lübeck, Germany.
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Krause
authors.affiliation: Institute for Experimental Immunology, EUROIMMUN, Seekamp 31, 23560 Lübeck, Germany.
authors.forename: Jörn
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Voigt
authors.affiliation: Institute for Experimental Immunology, EUROIMMUN, Seekamp 31, 23560 Lübeck, Germany.
authors.forename: Johanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fraune
authors.affiliation: Institute for Experimental Immunology, EUROIMMUN, Seekamp 31, 23560 Lübeck, Germany.
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fechner
mesh_terms: D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear / Q000276:immunology*; D057205:Automation, Laboratory; D003421:Crithidia / Q000276:immunology*; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D006801:Humans; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012216:Rheumatic Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D057188:Workflow
chemical_list: D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear