Evaluation of capture ELISA and rapid immunochromatographic test for the determination of IgM and IgG antibodies produced during dengue infection.

BACKGROUND

Rapid diagnosis of dengue infection is essential to patient management and disease control. The development of a rapid (5 min) immunochromatographic test and a 2 h commercial capture enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for anti-dengue IgM and IgG antibodies may lead to more rapid and accurate testing in peripheral health settings and diagnostic laboratories.

OBJECTIVES

Evaluate two new commercial tests for dengue serology (Dengue Rapid test and Dengue Duo ELISA; PanBio, Brisbane, Australia).

STUDY DESIGN

The sensitivity and specificity of the tests were compared with in-house dengue IgM ELISA and hemagglutination-inhibition (HAI) assays using known positive and negative dengue specimens, as well as specimens from non-dengue cases.

RESULTS

Both assays showed excellent sensitivity in the diagnosis of both primary and secondary dengue infection (100%). In both assays, IgG levels showed excellent correlation with the hemagglutination-inhibition (HAI) assay, and these could be used to distinguish between primary and secondary dengue infections (92 and 97% of patients correctly classified in the rapid test and Duo ELISA, respectively). Specificity in both assays was 89% when sera from patients, with no apparent dengue infection, typhoid, leptospirosis and malaria, were tested.

CONCLUSIONS

These tests should be a useful aid in confirming the clinical diagnosis of dengue infection. The rapid test will be particularly valuable in peripheral health settings, while the ELISA has a place in central testing laboratories.