Diagnostic significance of immunoglobulin G avidity in symptomatic and asymptomatic West Nile virus infection

Vilibić-Čavlek, Tatjana and Kristofić, Branimir and Savić, Vladimir and Kolarić, Branko and Barbić, Ljubo and Tabain, Irena and Perić, Ljiljana and Sabadi, Dario and Miklaušić, Bozana and Potočnik-Hunjadi, Tanja and Zember, Sanja and Stevanović, Vladimir and Listes, Eddy and Savini, Giovanni (2018) Diagnostic significance of immunoglobulin G avidity in symptomatic and asymptomatic West Nile virus infection. Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical, 51 (5). pp. 591-595. ISSN 0037-8682

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Abstract

INTRODUCTION: West Nile virus (WNV) immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibodies have been shown to persist for up to 500 days in certain patients. To evaluate the usefulness of immunoglobulin G (IgG) avidity assessment in the diagnosis of WNV infection, we analyzed 54 WNV IgM- and/or IgG-positive serum samples from 39 patients with neuroinvasive disease and 15 asymptomatic cases tested during a seroprevalence investigation. ----- METHODS: Serological tests (WNV IgM/IgG antibody detection, IgG avidity) were performed using commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. ----- RESULTS: WNV IgM antibodies were detected in 47 (87%) samples. Acute/recent WNV infection was confirmed based on low/borderline avidity index (AI) in 44 IgM-positive samples (93.6%). In three IgM-positive samples (6.4%), high IgG AIs were detected, thus indicating persisting IgM antibodies from previous infections. All IgM-negative samples showed high AIs. Patients with WNV neuroinvasive disease tested within 30 days showed low AIs. In six patients tested 34-50 days after disease onset, AI was borderline (42%-60%), suggesting earlier WNV IgG maturation. Samples with the highest IgM values were associated with the lowest AIs (Spearman's rho coefficient -0.767, p < 0.001). ----- CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that IgG avidity differentiates current/recent WNV infection from persistent IgM seropositivity from the previous WNV transmission season both in patients with WNV neuroinvasive disease and in asymptomatic persons. A strong negative correlation between IgM antibody levels and AI indicates that in cases with very high IgM levels, determination of IgG avidity may not be necessary. As many patients showed rapid avidity maturation, low IgG avidity is indicative of WNV infection within the previous month.

Item Type: Article
MeSH: Antibodies, Viral/blood ; Antibodies, Viral/immunology ; Antibody Affinity/immunology ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G/blood ; Immunoglobulin G/immunology ; Immunoglobulin M/blood ; Seasons ; West Nile Fever/diagnosis ; West Nile virus/immunology
Departments: Katedra za medicinsku mikrobiologiju i parazitologiju
Depositing User: Anja Majstorović
Status: Published
Creators:
CreatorsEmail
Vilibić-Čavlek, TatjanaUNSPECIFIED
Kristofić, BranimirUNSPECIFIED
Savić, VladimirUNSPECIFIED
Kolarić, BrankoUNSPECIFIED
Barbić, LjuboUNSPECIFIED
Tabain, IrenaUNSPECIFIED
Perić, LjiljanaUNSPECIFIED
Sabadi, DarioUNSPECIFIED
Miklaušić, BozanaUNSPECIFIED
Potočnik-Hunjadi, TanjaUNSPECIFIED
Zember, SanjaUNSPECIFIED
Stevanović, VladimirUNSPECIFIED
Listes, EddyUNSPECIFIED
Savini, GiovanniUNSPECIFIED
Date: November 2018
Date Deposited: 27 Jun 2019 07:22
Last Modified: 27 Jun 2019 07:22
Subjects: /
Related URLs:
URI: http://medlib.mef.hr/id/eprint/3317

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