Epidemiology and Infection
- Epidemiology and Infection / Volume 140 / Issue 01 / January 2012, pp 36-41
- Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2011
- DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0950268811000021 (About DOI), Published online: 15 February 2011
Q fever
The application of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay or an immunofluorescent assay test leads to different estimates of seroprevalence of Coxiella burnetii in the population
G. J. BLAAUWa1a3 c1, D. W. NOTERMANSa2, B. SCHIMMERa2, J. MEEKELENKAMPa1, J. H. J. REIMERINKa2, P. TEUNISa2 and P. M. SCHNEEBERGERa1a2
a1 Jeroen Bosch Ziekenhuis, 's-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands
a2 Centre for Infectious Disease Control Netherlands, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, The Netherlands
a3 Gelre Ziekenhuizen, Apeldoorn, The Netherlands
SUMMARY
The diagnosis and epidemiological studies of Q fever depend on serology. Among the main methods employed are the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and the immunofluorescent assay test (IFAT). We show that two commercial assays representing the two methods with two different cut-off titres can lead to significant differences in diagnostic and seroprevalence estimates. This in turn emphasizes the need for a standardized gold method to compare the various assays; whether this standard is ‘in-house’ or commercially obtained.
(Accepted January 09 2011)
(Online publication February 15 2011)
Key Words:
Correspondence:
c1 Author for correspondence: Mr G. J. Blaauw, Albert Schweitzerlaan 31, 7334 DZ, Apeldoorn, The Netherlands. (Email: g.blaauw@gelre.nl)
