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Transboundary and emerging diseases2019; 66(4); 1701-1708; doi: 10.1111/tbed.13205

Specific detection and differentiation of tick-borne encephalitis and West Nile virus induced IgG antibodies in humans and horses.

Abstract: Tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) and West Nile virus (WNV) are important arthropod-borne zoonotic flaviviruses. Due to the emergence of WNV in TBEV-endemic regions co-circulation of both viruses is increasing. Flaviviruses are structurally highly similar, which leads to cross-reacting antibodies upon infection. Currently available serological assays for TBEV and WNV infections are therefore compromised by false-positive results, especially in IgG measurements. In order to discriminate both infections novel diagnostic methods are needed. We describe an ELISA to measure IgG antibodies specific for TBEV and WNV, applicable to human and horse sera. Mutant envelope proteins were generated, that lack conserved parts of the fusion loop domain, a predominant target for cross-reacting antibodies. These were incubated with equine and human sera with known TBEV, WNV or other flavivirus infections. For WNV IgG, specificities and sensitivities were 100% and 87.9%, respectively, for horse sera, and 94.4% and 92.5%, respectively, for human sera. TBEV IgG was detected with specificities and sensitivities of 95% and 96.7%, respectively, in horses, and 98.9% and 100%, respectively, in humans. Specificities increased to 100% by comparing individual samples on both antigens. The antigens could form the basis for serological TBEV- and WNV-assays with improved specificities.
© 2019 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.
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Publication Date: 2019-04-29 PubMed ID: 30985075DOI: 10.1111/tbed.13205Google Scholar: Lookup
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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 article describes a new testing method that can accurately differentiate between antibodies produced by tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) and West Nile virus (WNV) in humans and horses. Current tests often produce false results due to the structural similarity of the two viruses. The new method shows improved sensitivity and specificity.

Background

  • TBEV and WNV are significant zoonotic flaviviruses, transmitted to humans and animals through arthropod vectors.
  • Recent emergence of WNV in regions where TBEV is endemic has led to an increasing problem of co-circulation of both viruses.
  • Currently used serological assays for TBEV and WNV infections often encounter false-positive results due to the structural similarities of flaviviruses, causing cross-reacting antibodies upon infection.
  • This limitation poses a significant issue, especially in IgG measurements, triggering a need for novel diagnostic methods that differentiate between the two infections.

Methodology

  • The researchers created an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to measure specific IgG antibodies for TBEV and WNV in human and horse sera.
  • They generated mutant envelope proteins devoid of conserved parts of the fusion loop domain, a common target for cross-reacting antibodies.
  • These proteins were then incubated with human and horse sera with known infections of TBEV, WNV, or other flaviviruses.

Findings

  • For WNV IgG, the ELISA showed specificities of 100% and 94.4% and sensitivities of 87.9% and 92.5% for horse and human sera, respectively.
  • For TBEV IgG, the specificities and sensitivities were 95% and 96.7% for horse sera, and 98.9% and 100% for human sera, respectively.
  • The specificities increased to 100% by comparing individual samples on both antigens.

Conclusion

  • The mutant antigens could serve as a basis for developing serological assays for TBEV and WNV with improved specificity.
  • This research represents a significant advance in the diagnosis and differentiation of TBEV and WNV infections.

Cite This Article

APA
Rockstroh A, Moges B, Berneck BS, Sattler T, Revilla-Fernández S, Schmoll F, Pacenti M, Sinigaglia A, Barzon L, Schmidt-Chanasit J, Nowotny N, Ulbert S. (2019). Specific detection and differentiation of tick-borne encephalitis and West Nile virus induced IgG antibodies in humans and horses. Transbound Emerg Dis, 66(4), 1701-1708. https://doi.org/10.1111/tbed.13205

Publication

Transboundary and emerging diseases
ISSN: 1865-1682
NlmUniqueID: 101319538
Country: Germany
Language: English
Volume: 66
Issue: 4
Pages: 1701-1708

Researcher Affiliations

Rockstroh, Alexandra
  • Department of Immunology, Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Leipzig, Germany.
Moges, Beyene
  • Department of Immunology, Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Leipzig, Germany.
Berneck, Beatrice S
  • Department of Immunology, Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Leipzig, Germany.
Sattler, Tatjana
  • Institute for Veterinary Disease Control Mödling, Austrian Agency of Health and Food Safety, Mödling, Austria.
  • Clinic for Ruminants and Swine, University Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
Revilla-Fernández, Sandra
  • Institute for Veterinary Disease Control Mödling, Austrian Agency of Health and Food Safety, Mödling, Austria.
Schmoll, Friedrich
  • Institute for Veterinary Disease Control Mödling, Austrian Agency of Health and Food Safety, Mödling, Austria.
Pacenti, Monia
  • Microbiology and Virology Unit, Padova University Hospital, Padova, Italy.
Sinigaglia, Alessandro
  • Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
Barzon, Luisa
  • Microbiology and Virology Unit, Padova University Hospital, Padova, Italy.
  • Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
Schmidt-Chanasit, Jonas
  • WHO Collaborating Centre for Arbovirus and Haemorrhagic Fever Reference and Research, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany.
  • Faculty of Mathematics, Informatics and Natural Sciences, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany.
  • German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), partner site Hamburg-Lk-Borstel-Riems, Hamburg, Germany.
Nowotny, Norbert
  • Viral Zoonoses, Emerging and Vector-Borne Infections Group, Institute of Virology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
  • Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dubai Healthcare City, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Ulbert, Sebastian
  • Department of Immunology, Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Leipzig, Germany.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Viral / analysis
  • Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne / isolation & purification
  • Encephalitis, Tick-Borne / diagnosis
  • Encephalitis, Tick-Borne / veterinary
  • Horse Diseases / diagnosis
  • Horses
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulin G / analysis
  • West Nile Fever / diagnosis
  • West Nile Fever / veterinary
  • West Nile virus / isolation & purification

Citations

This article has been cited 16 times.
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