Comparison of an improved competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with the World Organization for Animal Health-prescribed serum neutralization assay for detection of antibody to Equine arteritis virus.
Abstract: Equine arteritis virus (EAV) causes contagious equine viral arteritis, characterized by fever, anorexia, conjunctivitis, nasal discharge, dependent edema, abortion, infrequent death in foals, and establishment of the carrier state in stallions. The World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) defines a horse as seropositive if the serum neutralization (SN) antibody titer is ≥1:4 to EAV. However, determining the SN titer is time-consuming and requires specific laboratory facilities, equipment, and technical expertise to perform. Furthermore, interpretation of the SN titer of some sera can be difficult because of nonspecific cellular cytotoxicity of particular samples. Finally, the problem of interlaboratory variation also exists with SN assays. For these reasons, an alternative serologic test is desirable; however, none of the reported tests have equivalent sensitivity and specificity to the SN to be generally adopted. In an attempt to improve on a previously developed competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (cELISA) using EAV gp5-specific neutralizing monoclonal antibody (mAb) 4B2, the current study developed a modified protocol substituting the non-neutralizing mAb 17B7 for the neutralizing mAb 4B2; this along with several modifications of the test procedure improved the performance of the test. The relative specificity of the revamped cELISA was 99.8% when evaluated with 2,223 SN-negative sera. The relative sensitivity was 95.5% when evaluated with 246 SN-positive sera. This new cELISA was not affected by the presence of non-EAV-specific cytotoxicity in sera as observed in the SN assay. The results indicate that this new cELISA may be a viable alternative to the SN assay and merit additional validation.
Publication Date: 2013-02-12 PubMed ID: 23404482DOI: 10.1177/1040638712474816Google Scholar: Lookup
The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
- Comparative Study
- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
- Antibodies
- Comparative Study
- Diagnostic Technique
- Disease Diagnosis
- Disease Treatment
- Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA)
- Epidemiology
- Equine Diseases
- Equine Health
- Equine Viral Arteritis
- Horses
- In Vitro Research
- Infectious Disease
- Laboratory Methods
- Monoclonal Antibodies
- Serological Surveys
- Seroprevalence
- Veterinary Medicine
- Veterinary Research
- Virus
Summary
This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.
The research compares a new improved test called competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (cELISA) with the traditionally used serum neutralization (SN) assay for the detection of Equine arteritis virus (EAV). It found that the revised cELISA, which underwent several procedural modifications, showed higher specificity and sensitivity, suggesting that it could potentially replace the old test method.
About EAV and the Current Testing Method
- Equine arteritis virus (EAV) is responsible for a contagious equine viral arteritis in horses, marked by symptoms including fever, decreased appetite, eye inflammation, nasal discharge, edema, failure in pregnancy, and sometimes death in young horses. Some stallions can also become carrier of EAV, maintaining the spread of the virus.
- The World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) declares a horse EAV positive if serum neutralization (SN) antibody ratio to EAV is 1:4 or higher. The SN assay, however, requires sophisticated lab facilities and equipment, along with technical expertise.
- There are also challenges in interpreting the SN ratio of certain blood samples due to nonspecific cellular toxicity. Variance in lab results when using SN assays has also been reported, prompting the need for a more reliable alternative.
The Improved Serologic Test
- The study sought to develop a better version of the competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (cELISA), which had been previously formulated.
- To improve the test, the neutralizing monoclonal antibody (mAb) 4B2 used in the old cELISA was replaced with non-neutralizing mAb 17B7, in addition to making several changes to the test protocol.
- When tested with over 2,223 SN-negative blood samples, the revised cELISA exhibited a relative specificity of 99.8%.
- With 246 SN-positive blood samples, the relative sensitivity was at 95.5%.
Conclusion and Future Applications
- The study found the new cELISA test unaffected by non-EAV-specific cytotoxicity in the blood samples, a problem often encountered with the SN assay.
- Considering the improved performance, the study suggests the newly developed cELISA could serve as a viable alternative to the serum neutralization assay for EAV detection.
- However, the new testing method will need additional validation for further affirmations.
Cite This Article
APA
Chung C, Wilson C, Timoney P, Adams E, Adams DS, Chung JS, Evermann JF, Shuck K, Lee SS, McGuire TC.
(2013).
Comparison of an improved competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with the World Organization for Animal Health-prescribed serum neutralization assay for detection of antibody to Equine arteritis virus.
J Vet Diagn Invest, 25(2), 182-188.
https://doi.org/10.1177/1040638712474816 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Veterinary Medical Research and Development Inc., Pullman, WA, USA. chungwon@vmrd.com
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Antibodies, Monoclonal
- Antibodies, Viral / blood
- Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / methods
- Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / veterinary
- Equartevirus / immunology
- Horse Diseases / diagnosis
- Horse Diseases / virology
- Horses
- Neutralization Tests / methods
- Neutralization Tests / veterinary
- Sensitivity and Specificity
- Serologic Tests / veterinary
Use Nutrition Calculator
Check if your horse's diet meets their nutrition requirements with our easy-to-use tool Check your horse's diet with our easy-to-use tool
Talk to a Nutritionist
Discuss your horse's feeding plan with our experts over a free phone consultation Discuss your horse's diet over a phone consultation
Submit Diet Evaluation
Get a customized feeding plan for your horse formulated by our equine nutritionists Get a custom feeding plan formulated by our nutritionists
