Official websites use. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Corresponding author. Box , Fort Collins, CO Phone: Fax: Immunoglobulin M antibody-capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay MAC-ELISA is a rapid and versatile diagnostic method that readily permits the combination of multiple assays.
Test consolidation is especially important for arthropod-borne viruses arboviruses which belong to at least three virus families: the Togaviridae , Flaviviridae , and Bunyaviridae.
Using prototype viruses from each of these families and a panel of well-characterized human sera, we have evaluated and standardized a combined MAC-ELISA capable of identifying virus infections caused by members of each virus family. Furthermore, by grouping antigens geographically and utilizing known serological cross-reactivities, we have reduced the number of antigens necessary for testing, while maintaining adequate detection sensitivity.
With a blind-coded human serum panel, this combined MAC-ELISA was shown to have test sensitivity and specificity that correlated well with those of other serological techniques. Most medically important arthropod-borne viruses arboviruses belong to three virus families: the Togaviridae , Flaviviridae , and Bunyaviridae.
Many of these viruses are considered emerging or reemerging infectious diseases that can be readily transported from one area of the world to another. Because of the wide variety of viruses, arboviral diagnostic serology is complex. A recent survey of diagnostic laboratories in the United States that perform arboviral testing determined that the indirect immunofluorescence assay 2 , plaque-reduction neutralization test PRNT 2 , 17 , hemagglutination-inhibition test 10 , and complement fixation test 8 were still widely used M.
