Monoclonal antibody-based enzyme immunoassay for trypsinogen in neonatal screening for cystic fibrosis.

An enzyme immunoassay (EIA) with monoclonal antibodies against human trypsinogen in neonatal blood-spots has been evaluated for screening for neonatal cystic fibrosis (CF). In a retrospective study, 36 of 39 CF samples were distinguished from controls matched for age and storage time. 7 infants with CF were detected in 16,500 infants screened in a prospective study. The EIA is quicker and less labour intensive than conventional assays for the detection of immunoreactive trypsin and may have further advantages of specificity and sensitivity for monitoring the release of pancreatic zymogens in CF.