Jeske Rima, Dangel Larissa, Sauerbrey Leander, Frangoulidis Dimitrios, Teras Lauren R, Fischer Silke F, Waterboer Tim
Division of Infections and Cancer Epidemiology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
Faculty of Biosciences, Heidelberg University, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
Microorganisms. 2021 Nov 17;9(11):2373. doi: 10.3390/microorganisms9112373.
The causative agent of Q fever, the bacterium (), has gained increasing interest due to outbreak events and reports about it being a potential risk factor for the development of lymphomas. In order to conduct large-scale studies for population monitoring and to investigate possible associations more closely, accurate and cost-effective high-throughput assays are highly desired. To address this need, nine proteins were expressed as recombinant antigens for multiplex serology. This technique enables the quantitative high-throughput detection of antibodies to multiple antigens simultaneously in a single reaction. Based on a reference group of 76 seropositive and 91 seronegative sera, three antigens were able to detect infections. Com1, GroEL, and DnaK achieved specificities of 93%, 69%, and 77% and sensitivities of 64%, 72%, and 47%, respectively. Double positivity to Com1 and GroEL led to a combined specificity of 90% and a sensitivity of 71%. In a subgroup of seropositives with an increased risk for chronic Q fever, the double positivity to these markers reached a specificity of 90% and a sensitivity of 86%. Multiplex serology enables the detection of antibodies against and appears well-suited to investigate associations between infections and the clinical manifestations in large-scale studies.
Q热的病原体，即伯氏考克斯体（），由于爆发事件以及有关其作为淋巴瘤发生潜在风险因素的报道，已引起越来越多的关注。为了开展大规模人群监测研究并更深入地调查可能的关联，非常需要准确且具有成本效益的高通量检测方法。为满足这一需求，表达了9种蛋白质作为重组抗原用于多重血清学检测。该技术能够在单一反应中同时对多种抗原的抗体进行定量高通量检测。基于76份血清阳性和91份血清阴性的参考血清组，三种抗原能够检测伯氏考克斯体感染。Com1、GroEL和DnaK的特异性分别为93%、69%和77%，敏感性分别为64%、72%和47%。Com1和GroEL双阳性导致联合特异性为90%，敏感性为71%。在慢性Q热风险增加的血清阳性亚组中，这些标志物的双阳性特异性达到90%，敏感性达到86%。多重血清学检测能够检测针对伯氏考克斯体的抗体，似乎非常适合在大规模研究中调查伯氏考克斯体感染与临床表现之间的关联。
