Detection of antibodies to Epstein-Barr virus antigens by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) is described for the serologic analysis of antibodies to Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-associated nuclear antigen (EBNA), viral capsid antigen (VCA), and early antigen (EA). The specificity of each of the ELISAs was demonstrated by the use of well-characterized human sera shown by immunofluorescence assay to be variously reactive for antibodies to one or more of the three viral antigens studied. The ELISA for EBNA was four to 256 times more sensitive than immunofluorescence assays with all 33 EBNA-positive sera tested. The ELISAs for VCA and EA were also more sensitive than immunofluorescence assays: approximately 50% of the sera tested showed higher antibody titers. Sera that were negative for all three antigens by immunofluorescence assay were also negative by ELISA for each antigen. These ELISAs for EBV are rapid, sensitive, and objective and thus provide new and valuable methods for the detection of antibodies to EBV-related antigens.