loading page

Diagnostic performance of a fully automated hepatitis E virus antibody immunoassay
  • +5
  • Andi Krumbholz,
  • Anna Eichhorn,
  • Franziska Neumann,
  • Carina Baeumler,
  • Imke Gutsmann,
  • Olaf Grobe,
  • Frieda Schlueter,
  • Sina Mueller
Andi Krumbholz
Labor Dr Krause und Kollegen MVZ GmbH

Corresponding Author:krumbholz@infmed.uni-kiel.de

Author Profile
Anna Eichhorn
Diasorin Deutschland GmbH
Author Profile
Franziska Neumann
Labor Dr Krause und Kollegen MVZ GmbH
Author Profile
Carina Baeumler
Labor Dr Krause und Kollegen MVZ GmbH
Author Profile
Imke Gutsmann
Universitatsklinikum Schleswig Holstein Institut fur Infektionsmedizin
Author Profile
Olaf Grobe
Labor Dr Krause und Kollegen MVZ GmbH
Author Profile
Frieda Schlueter
Labor Dr Krause und Kollegen MVZ GmbH
Author Profile
Sina Mueller
Labor Dr Krause und Kollegen MVZ GmbH
Author Profile

Abstract

In immunocompetent patients with liver inflammation, the detection of IgG and IgM antibodies against the hepatitis E virus (HEV) is important for the diagnosis. Recently, fully automated chemiluminescence immunoassays (CLIAs, LIAISON® Murex anti-HEV IgG/anti-HEV IgM test, DiaSorin) have become available for this purpose. The diagnostic suitability of these CLIAs was determined by comparison with a combination of plate-based enzyme immunoassays ( recomWell HEV IgG/IgM ELISA, Mikrogen) and immunoblots ( recomLine HEV IgG/IgM, Mikrogen), which served as a reference for the characterization of sera. Samples with a deviating result were retested with an alternative test (WANTAI HEV IgG/IgM ELISAs). The anti-HEV IgG CLIA had a sensitivity and specificity of 100% (100/100; 49/49) each when the recomWell HEV IgG ELISA served as a reference. The anti-HEV IgM CLIA had a sensitivity of 67.9% (36/53) and a specificity of 100% (49/49). When IgM immunoblot results were considered, sensitivity and specificity were 88.9% (24/27) and 53.8% (14/26), respectively. The WANTAI test confirmed 52.9% (9/17) of negative CLIA IgMs that differed from the recomWell HEV IgM result. The CLIA revealed an isolated and thus probably non-specific HEV IgM in one of 17 patients with acute Epstein-Barr virus infection. The automated CLIAs are well suited for HEV diagnostics.