Application of an immunoperoxidase monolayer assay for the detection of arboviral antibodies.

ABSTRACT

An immunoperoxidase monolayer assay (IPMA) was adapted for the detection of antibodies to six arboviruses three viruses within the flavivirus group (dengue 2, West Nile (WN) and yellow fever) and three in the phlebovirus group (Rift Valley fever (RVF), sandfly fever Naples and sandfly fever Sicilian). Antibody titers of homologous hyper-immune mouse ascitic fluid (HMAF) measured by IPMA were two to eight-fold less than those determined by ELISA. In tests with heterologous HMAF, cross-reactions frequently observed in ELISA, particularly in the flavivirus group, were absent in all IPMA titrations. With human serum samples tested for antibodies to RVF (n = 52) and WN (n = 90), the sensitivity of IPMA as compared with ELISA was 96 and 91%, respectively, specificity of IPMA was 100%. In addition, the IPMA format has several advantages that make it a useful alternative to ELISA for diagnosing arboviral infections under field conditions.