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Use of monoclonal antibodies for rapid diagnosis of respiratory viruses in a community hospital.

An indirect fluorescence antibody (IFA) procedure was used for the rapid detection of respiratory viruses in direct clinical specimens and for determining the epidemiology of viruses in a community hospital setting. Viral respiratory diseases were monitored for 10 consecutive respiratory seasons. The Bartels Viral Respiratory Screening and Identification Kit is an IFA method that contains pooled and individual monoclonal antibodies for seven common respiratory viruses. Compared with 8,670 conventional tube cell cultures, IFA staining of direct patient specimens had an overall sensitivity of 84.2% and a specificity of 87.7%. Yearly epidemics of respiratory syncytial virus were seen with alternating short and long intervals between successive periods when virus was isolated. Epidemics following short intervals were more severe. Influenza A virus epidemics occurred yearly, and influenza B virus activity was seen generally every other year. When influenza A and influenza B viruses were cocirculating in a given season, the months of peak activity of one virus were always within 1 month of the peak activity of the other virus. Parainfluenza virus type 1 was detected in the autumn of odd-numbered years, and parainfluenza type 2 virus was seen usually in the autumn of even-numbered years. Parainfluenza type 3 virus and adenovirus were the most ubiquitous agents, with peak incidence occurring in the late winter to spring.

Adolescent↗

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with conserved immunoreactive glycoproteins gp36 and gp19 has enhanced sensitivity and provides species-specific immunodiagnosis of Ehrlichia canis infection.

Ehrlichia canis is the primary etiologic agent of canine monocytic ehrlichiosis, a globally distributed and potentially fatal disease of dogs. We previously reported on the identification of two conserved major immunoreactive antigens, gp36 and gp19, which are the first proteins to elicit an E. canis-specific antibody response, and gp200 and p28, which elicit strong antibody responses later in the acute phase of the infection. In this report, the sensitivities and specificities of five recombinant E. canis proteins for the immunodiagnosis of E. canis infection by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were evaluated. Recombinant polypeptides gp36, gp19, and gp200 (N and C termini) exhibited 100% sensitivity and specificity for immunodiagnosis by the recombinant glycoprotein ELISA compared with the results obtained by an indirect fluorescent-antibody assay (IFA) for the detection of antibodies in dogs that were naturally infected with E. canis. Moreover, the enhanced sensitivities of gp36 and gp19 for immunodiagnosis by the recombinant glycoprotein ELISA compared to those obtained by IFA were demonstrated with dogs experimentally infected with E. canis, in which antibodies were detected as much as 2 weeks earlier, on day 14 postinoculation. gp36 and gp19 were not cross-reactive with antibodies in sera from E. chaffeensis-infected dogs and thus provided species-specific serologic discrimination between E. canis and E. chaffeensis infections. This is the first demonstration of the improved detection capability of the recombinant protein technology compared to the capability of the "gold standard" IFA and may eliminate the remaining obstacles associated with the immunodiagnosis of E. canis infections, including species-specific identification and the lack of sensitivity associated with low antibody titers early in the acute phase of the infection.

Animals↗

Effect of lung surfactant collectins on bronchoalveolar macrophage interaction with Blastomyces dermatitidis: inhibition of tumor necrosis factor alpha production by surfactant protein D.

Alveolar surfactant modulates the antimicrobial function of bronchoalveolar macrophages (BAM). Little is known about the effect of surfactant-associated proteins in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) on the interaction of BAM and Blastomyces dermatitidis. We investigated BALF enhancement or inhibition of TNF-alpha production by BAM stimulated by B. dermatitidis. BAM from CD-1 mice were stimulated with B. dermatitidis without or with normal BALF, surfactant protein A-deficient (SP-A-/-) or surfactant protein D-deficient (SP-D-/-) BALF, or a mixture of SP-A-/- and SP-D-/- BALF. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to measure tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) in culture supernatants. BALFs were standardized in protein concentration. BAM plus B. dermatitidis (BAM-B. dermatitidis) TNF-alpha production was inhibited > or = 47% by BALF or SP-A-/- BALF (at 290 or 580 microg of protein/ml, P < 0.05 to 0.01); in contrast, SP-D-/- BALF did not significantly inhibit TNF-alpha production. If SP-A-/- BALF was mixed in equal amounts with SP-D-/- BALF, TNF-alpha production by BAM-B. dermatitidis was inhibited (P < 0.01). Finally, pure SP-D added to SP-D-/- BALF inhibited TNF-alpha production by BAM-B. dermatitidis (P < 0.01). B. dermatitidis incubated with BALF and washed, plus BAM, stimulated 63% less production of TNF-alpha than did unwashed B. dermatitidis (P < 0.05). SP-D was detected by anti-SP-D antibody on BALF-treated unwashed B. dermatitidis in an immunofluorescence assay (IFA). The BALF depleted by a coating of B. dermatitidis lost the ability to inhibit TNF-alpha production (P < 0.05). 1,3-beta-Glucan was a good stimulator of BAM for TNF-alpha production and was detected on B. dermatitidis by IFA. beta-Glucan incubated with BALF inhibited the binding of SP-D in BALF to B. dermatitidis as demonstrated by IFA. Our data suggest that SP-D in BALF binds beta-glucan on B. dermatitidis, blocking BAM access to beta-glucan, thereby inhibiting TNF-alpha production. Thus, whereas BALF constituents commonly mediate antimicrobial activity, B. dermatitidis may utilize BALF constituents, such as SP-D, to blunt the host defensive reaction; this effect could reduce inflammation and tissue destruction but could also promote disease.

Animals↗

Erythrocyte receptor (CD2)-bearing T lymphocytes are affected by diet in experimental pulmonary tuberculosis.

Outbred (Hartley) and inbred (strain 2 and 13) guinea pigs were vaccinated with Mycobacterium bovis BCG and placed on isocaloric, purified diets containing either 10 or 30% ovalbumin or on commercial guinea pig chow. Six weeks later, the animals were challenged by the respiratory route with virulent M. tuberculosis H37Rv. At intervals postchallenge, groups were tuberculin tested and sacrificed. Thymus-dependent (T) lymphocytes were enumerated either by rosette formation with rabbit erythrocytes or by the indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) with a guinea pig pan-T-cell monoclonal antibody, 8BE6. Protein-deficient guinea pigs of all three strains had significantly fewer erythrocyte rosette-forming (CD2+) T cells in the peripheral blood, and malnourished strain 2 and Hartley guinea pigs exhibited reduced levels of CD2+ T cells in the thymus. In contrast, animals of all three strains fed the low-protein diet harbored more CD2+ T cells in the bronchotracheal lymph nodes than did their control-fed counterparts. A larger proportion of lymphocytes from the blood and lymph nodes of all three strains were IFA positive than formed erythrocyte rosettes regardless of diet treatment. Diet had no effect on IFA-positive lymphocytes in those organs. Protein deficiency is associated with significant alterations in the number and/or distribution of T lymphocytes expressing functional CD2-receptors in BCG-vaccinated animals exposed to virulent mycobacteria by the pulmonary route. These alterations may contribute to the reduction in BCG vaccine efficacy observed in this model.

Animals↗

Immunization with Pseudomonas aeruginosa vaccines and adjuvant can modulate the type of inflammatory response subsequent to infection.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is the predominant pathogen in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). To study the possibility of preventing lung inflammation and decreasing the progression of the infection by vaccination, we have developed a rat model of chronic P. aeruginosa lung infection. Rats were immunized with P. aeruginosa whole-cell sonicates, O-polysaccharide toxin A conjugate, an alginate-toxin A conjugate, or native alginate. Control animals received sterile saline or incomplete Freund's adjuvant (IFA). The macroscopic (mean score, 2.4 versus 2.7 to 3.2) (P < 0.05) and microscopic (mean score, 2.0 versus 2.1 to 2.8) pathologic abnormalities were less severe in the control rats injected with sterile saline than in the immunized rats and the IFA group. The more severe lung abnormalities observed in immunized rats could be due to the result of immune complex-mediated lung tissue damage. The histopathologic results in the saline control rats were characterized by acute inflammation dominated by numerous polymorphonuclear leukocytes surrounding the alginate beads (microcolonies), as in CF patients. In contrast, the inflammatory response in the IFA group and in the immunized rats had changed from an acute-type inflammation to a chronic-type inflammation dominated by mononuclear leukocytes and scattered granulomas. Cross-reacting antibodies were induced by the two alginate vaccines, and most immunized animals developed a significant (P < 0.001) antibody titer elevation (in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) of the immunoglobulin M (IgM), IgG, and IgA classes against the homologous antigens. The bacterial clearance was significantly (P < 0.05) more efficient in most immunized rats than in the control rats given sterile saline. The present study shows that none of the vaccines could completely prevent chronic lung inflammation 4 weeks after challenge. However, the changed pathologic condition in immunized rats to a chronic-type inflammation might be of great benefit in future management of CF patients since the developing lung tissue damage has been shown to be caused by polymorphonuclear leukocyte-released elastase.

Animals↗

Comparative study of Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus serological assays using clinically and serologically defined reference standards and latent class analysis.

Accurate determination of infection with Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) has been hindered by the lack of a "gold standard" for comparison of serological assays used to estimate KSHV prevalence in serosurveys conducted in different settings. We have evaluated the performance of five in-house (developed at University College London [UCL], United Kingdom, and at the virology laboratory of the Instituto de Medicine Tropical [IMT] in Sao Paulo, Brazil) and two commercial (ABI and DIAVIR) serological assays to detect antibodies to latency-associated nuclear antigen (LANA) and to lytic KSHV antigens. We used a variety of serum samples assembled to represent populations likely to be at high, intermediate, and low risk of KSHV infection in Brazil. Composite reference standard panels were prepared based on clinical and serological parameters, against which assay performances were assessed using conventional Bayesian statistics and latent class analysis (LCA). Against the clinical reference standard, in-house immunofluorescence assays to detect anti-LANA antibodies (IFA-LANA) produced at UCL and IMT had similar performances, with sensitivities of 61% (95% confidence interval [CI], 48% to 74%) and 72% (95% CI, 58% to 83%) and specificities of 99% (95% CI, 94% to 100%) and 100% (95% CI, 96% to 100%), respectively, and only the IMT IFA-LANA was included in LCA, together with the IMT IFA-lytic and four enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs). The LCA indicated that the IMT whole-virus ELISA performed best (sensitivity, 87% [95% CI, 81% to 91%]; and specificity, 100% [95% CI, 98% to 100%]), confirming the results obtained with the conventional statistical approach. Commercially available ELISA-based tests yielded the lowest specificities using a spectrum of serum samples. The evaluation of KSHV serological assays is warranted before planning serosurveys in various settings.

Antibodies, Viral↗

Radioimmunoassay for detection of antibodies to Epstein-Barr virus in human infectious mononucleosis serum specimens.

A rapid microradioimmunoassay (RIA) technique was adapted for quantitatively measuring antibody titers to antigens occurring in Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-infected lymphoid cells. In these experiments two EBV-infected cell lines, HR1K and EB-3, were used as antigen-positive cells and Molt-4 was used as the negative control cells. The antibody titers of sera from suspected infectious mononucleosis patients were compared by RIA and indirect fluorescent antibody (IFA) methods. As determined by each of the methods, 14 of 19 sera had positive antibody titers and the remainder of the sera had negative antibody titers. Thus, the two methods agreed completely in differentiating sera with antibodies to EBV antigens. To further evaluate the antibody specificity of the RIA, the antibody titers of paired sera, pre- or early infection and postinfection, from five confirmed infectious mononucleosis patients were determined by RIA and IFA. Seroconversion was demonstrated by both RIA and IFA for each of the patients. Thus, the sensitivity and specificity of the two procedures are about the same.

Antibodies, Viral↗

Preparation and use of erythrocyte-globulin conjugates to Lassa virus in reversed passive hemagglutination and inhibition.

Conditions were defined for functional covalent coupling of anti-Lassa virus globulins to glutaraldehyde-fixed chicken erythrocytes. Tolylene-2,4-diisocyanate in a reaction mixture containing not more than 0.01 M NaCl produced uniformly good conjugates which were used in reversed passive hemagglutination (RPH) and reversed passive hemagglutination inhibition (RPHI) tests to detect Lassa virus antigens in infected cell cultures and specific antigens in Vero cell cultures. Identical results were obtained with this method and with immunofluorescent-antibody (IFA) staining in the detection and identification of Lassa virus isolated from human and rodent specimens from West Africa. The RPHI method was equal to IFA for serological diagnosis of acute human Lassa virus infection and superior to IFA, complement fixation, and a radioimmunoassay procedure for detection of Lassa virus antibodies in a human population where this infection is endemic.

Animals↗

Comparison of indirect fluorescent-antibody amoebic serology with counterimmunoelectrophoresis and indirect hemagglutination amoebic serologies.

Patients ranged from those with no prior diagnosis of or suspected exposure to Entamoeba histolytica to those with proven amoebic liver abscesses (extraintestinal disease). A comparison of serologies from patients with proven and suspected amoebiasis or possible past exposure revealed good correlation between the indirect fluorescent antibody (IFA) procedure and the other methods used, counterimmunoelectrophoresis and indirect hemagglutination. Titers from patients with proven extraintestinal amoebiasis were in the expected high range previously reported by other authors. Patients with clinical histories suggestive of exposure to E. histolytica but no proven disease had lower titers which indicated possible background exposure. The IFA procedure provides a rapid method of antibody detection; results obtained on an emergency basis provide essential information in making the diagnosis of amoebic abscess, pyogenic abscess, or tumor. The IFA procedure is rapid, reliable reproducible, and relatively inexpensive to perform, provided a good source of antigen is consistently available.

Amebiasis↗

Evaluation of a solid-phase immunofluorescence assay for detection of antibodies to Legionella pneumophila.

A semiautomated solid-phase immunofluorescence technique (FIAX) was compared with the standard indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) for the determination of antibody levels to Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1 in paired human serum samples. The FIAX method was in agreement with the IFA test for 91.8% of the serum pairs but gave evidence of a recent Legionella infection significantly fewer times than did the IFA. These results suggest that the FIAX technique may eventually be a useful alternative test for measuring Legionella antibodies. However, further study will be required to determine its efficacy in providing a serodiagnosis of legionellosis.

Antibodies, Bacterial↗

Enzyme immunoassay versus plaque neutralization and other methods for determination of immune status to measles and varicella-zoster viruses and versus complement fixation for serodiagnosis of infections with those viruses.

Results by an enzyme immunoassay method (EIA) performed at one serum dilution and results by indirect immunofluorescence (IFA) and hemagglutination inhibition (HI) tests performed at step dilutions were correlated with results by a neutralization test (50% plaque neutralization [PN]) performed at step dilutions on single serum samples for serologic evaluation of immunity status to measles virus. PN results were taken as true indicators of immunity, and the other tests were evaluated on that basis. The predictive value of a positive result being positive also by PN was 95.3% for HI and 93.3% for EIA and IFA. The predictive value of a negative result being negative also by PN was 81.1% for HI, 100% for EIA, and 75.0% for IFA. A similar study on immunity status to varicella-zoster virus by EIA and by an anticomplement immunofluorescence test versus PN showed a 100% predictive value of a positive or negative result by EIA. By the anticomplement immunofluorescence test, the predictive value of a positive result was 97.7%, and that of a negative result was 88.5%. Studies on the comparative ability of EIA versus complement fixation (CF) to detect significant changes in antibody concentration between acute-phase and convalescent-phase serum samples indicative of a current infection were also done. Both tests were satisfactory for the serodiagnosis of measles or varicella-zoster virus infections. However, EIA was preferable to CF because it was less technically difficult, less labor intensive, and could be performed on sera that were anticomplementary in CF reactions.

Antigens, Viral↗

Production of monoclonal antibodies against parainfluenza 3 virus and their use in diagnosis by immunofluorescence.

Monoclonal antibodies were produced against parainfluenza virus type 3 (PI-3) and used to identify PI-3 clinical isolates in cell culture and PI-3 antigen in cells obtained from nasopharyngeal (NP) washes of patients. Two (2E9 and 4G5) of the three monoclonal antibodies characterized reacted by immunoblotting with a 67,000-dalton PI-3 protein, and one antibody (4E5) reacted with two viral proteins in the range of 29,000 to 31,000 daltons. The three monoclonal antibodies did not cross-react by indirect immunofluorescence (IFA) with PI-1 or PI-2 and identified by IFA 18 isolates of PI-3 in cell culture. The 2E9 antibody reacted with PI-3 antigen in cells of 8 NP wash specimens that also yielded PI-3 in cell culture. Cells from 12 specimens reactive by IFA for respiratory syncytial virus, 1 specimen yielding adenovirus in cell culture, and 5 specimens yielding influenza virus were not reactive.

Animals↗

Evaluation of a rapid screening immunoassay for antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii.

A total of 349 human serum samples were examined for anti-Toxoplasma antibodies by the Murex Single Use Diagnostic System (SUDS) qualitative screening test, indirect hemagglutination assay (IHA), and indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA). Concordant results with SUDS and IHA were obtained for 91.9% of serum samples; 8.9% were SUDS+ and IHA-; none were SUDS- and IHA+. Comparison of the SUDS assay with IFA showed a concordance of 95.3%, with a sensitivity of 97.5% and a specificity of 94.7%. Moreover, the positive and negative predictive values were 84.9 and 99.2%, respectively, when results of the SUDS assay and IFA were compared. The SUDS assay is a rapid, simple test requiring no instrumentation and can be performed on 50 microliters of serum, features which make this an excellent screening test for detecting anti-Toxoplasma antibodies, particularly in outpatient settings.

Animals↗

Comparison of nasopharyngeal aspirate and nasopharyngeal swab specimens for respiratory syncytial virus diagnosis by cell culture, indirect immunofluorescence assay, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

Paired nasopharyngeal aspirate (NPA) and nasopharyngeal swab (NPS) specimens obtained from each of 32 hospitalized infants with X-ray-confirmed pneumonia (91%) or bronchiolitis were tested for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection by virus culture, the indirect immunofluorescent-antibody (IFA) technique, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA; Ortho Diagnostic Systems, Inc.), and spot hybridization with a human genomic probe to quantitate cellular DNA. RSV was isolated in cell cultures from 72% (23 of 32) of patients by using NPA specimens compared with 47% (15 of 32) by using NPS specimens. With tissue culture positivity as the reference test, the sensitivities of the ELISA on NPA and NPS specimens were found to be 69% (16 of 23) and 61% (14 of 23), respectively, with a specificity and a positive predictive value from both sites of 100%. The sensitivities of the IFA technique compared with the cell culture on NPA and NPS specimens were 61% (14 of 23) and 52% (12 of 23) with specificities of 89 and 78% and positive predictive values of 96 and 92%, respectively. Despite the recovery of significantly more cells (as shown by detection of more cellular DNA by using NPA specimens), virus was detected by the IFA technique or ELISA at similar frequencies in paired specimens. However, virus was recovered more often from NPA than NPS specimens by cell culture, and ELISA optical density readings and the number of RSV-positive fluorescing cells were greater for NPA specimens. NPA specimen collection was less traumatic for the patient, was an easier procedure for the physician to perform, and provided a superior laboratory specimen for RSV diagnosis than the NPS technique.

Animals↗

Comparison of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and complement fixation and indirect fluorescent-antibody tests for detection of Coxiella burnetii antibody.

An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed to detect immunoglobulin G to Coxiella burnetii phase II. Serum samples from 213 patients who had had Q fever 1 year previously and from 301 blood donors from six localities in Switzerland were tested by ELISA and by indirect fluorescent-antibody (IFA) and complement fixation (CF) tests. The ELISA and the IFA and CF tests detected antibody to C. burnetii in 202 (94.8%), 193 (90.6%), and 166 (77.8%) of the 213 Q fever patients, respectively. With the serum samples from blood donors, the ELISA yielded a higher percentage of positive sera than did the IFA and CF tests. The high specificity of the three tests was confirmed by analyzing paired serum samples from 36 patients suffering from acute pneumonia of viral or bacterial origin. In these cases, the serological results were negative by the three tests, except for three Q-fever cases included as positive control.

Antibodies, Bacterial↗

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for diagnosis of chronic Q fever.

From 1982 through 1987 we diagnosed 13 chronic Q fever cases. Clinically these patients presented a culture-negative endocarditis, and all but two had high complement-fixing antibody titers to Coxiella burnetii phase I (reciprocal titer above 200). With the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), titers of immunoglobulin G (IgG) to phases I and II of C. burnetii averaged 158,000 and 69,900, respectively, whereas they reached 300 and 3,200 in acute Q fever cases. Similarly, IgA to both phases of C. burnetii and IgM to phase I were consistently higher during chronic than acute Q fever. The serological follow-up of one patient with chronic Q fever over a 4-year period showed a good correlation between the titers of IgG and IgM antibody titers detected by ELISA and indirect fluorescent-antibody test (IFA) to both phases of C. burnetii. Few discrepancies appeared with IgA. Shortly after initiation of antibiotic treatment, a slow and steady decrease of the antibody titers to C. burnetii phases I and II was observed. The complement fixation, IFA, and ELISA tests showed the same type of antibody response. The ELISA proved to be an excellent diagnostic test for chronic Q fever. It distinguished negative from positive reactions clearly, and results were highly reproducible. The reading is objective, and the test is simple to perform and more sensitive than the IFA and complement fixation tests. The ELISA is recommended for serologic evaluation of patients with chronic Q fever.

Antibodies, Bacterial↗

Evaluation of Abbott CMV-M enzyme immunoassay for detection of cytomegalovirus immunoglobulin M antibody.

The Abbott CMV-M enzyme immunoassay (EIA) for the qualitative determination of immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibody to cytomegalovirus in human serum was compared with the indirect fluorescent-antibody (IFA) test on 338 human serum specimens. Discordant specimens were evaluated by IFA following isolation of IgM fractions. Discordant specimens remaining after IFA testing were evaluated by an IgM-specific EIA (CYTOMEGELISA M; M.A. Bioproducts). After resolution of discordant specimens, the CMV-M EIA was 94.7% sensitive and 99.1% specific.

Antibodies, Viral↗

Establishment of titration system for human herpesvirus 6 and evaluation of neutralizing antibody response to the virus.

The susceptibilities of seven T-cell lines to human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) infection were examined. MT-4 cells were the most susceptible of these lines to infection with this virus. Therefore, chemically adhered MT-4 cell monolayers were used for infectious HHV-6 assay by indirect immunofluorescent-antibody (IFA) staining. When cell monolayers were fixed 30 to 45 h postinfection, the foci stained with IFA were easy to count and a linear relationship was observed between the number of foci and the virus concentration. MT-4 cell monolayers were also used for a focus reduction neutralizing-antibody test. In this test, sera from patients in the convalescent stage of exanthem subitum all showed significant neutralizing activity (1:80 to 1:320), whereas sera from patients in the acute stage of disease showed no detectable neutralizing activity. The titers of neutralizing antibody correlated well with the levels of anti-HHV-6 antibodies detected by IFA.

Antibodies, Viral↗