Confirmation of invasive meningococcal disease by single point estimation of IgM antibody to outer membrane protein of Neisseria meningitidis

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Objectives The sensitivity of laboratory confirmation of invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) by culture or PCR is affected by prior antibiotic treatment and decreasing use of early lumbar puncture. Serological diagnosis of IMD is not widely used because of reliance on paired serum samples. The application of single point estimations of IgM antibodies in the diagnosis of IMD was explored. Design Outer membrane proteins from a mix of commonly encountered meningococcal serotypes were partially purified and used as an antigen in an enzyme immunoassay for the detection of IgM antibody. The cut-off for the assay was derived using sera from blood bank donors and the accuracy then evaluated with sera from patients with culture-confirmed IMD, other bacterial infections and culture-proven nasopharyngeal colonisation with Neisseria meningi tidis. Results The coefficient of variability of the assay was N. meningitidis were recovered. Conclusions Serological examination by single point IgM enzyme immunoassay (EIA) offers the possibility of an expanded laboratory confirmation of IMD in adults for samples taken between 5 and 18 days after onset.

This publication has 13 references indexed in Scilit: