Responses of IgM for enterovirus 71 infection

Area of Science:

• Virology
• Immunology
• Diagnostic Assays

Background:

• Enterovirus 71 (EV71) is a human picornavirus linked to severe central nervous system (CNS) complications.
• Accurate and timely diagnosis of EV71 infection is crucial for patient management and epidemiological surveillance.
• Existing diagnostic methods may lack the speed or sensitivity required for early detection.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a rapid serological assay for the detection of specific IgM antibodies to enterovirus 71.
• To assess the sensitivity and specificity of the developed immunoassay compared to conventional methods.

Main Methods:

• Development of an in-house mu-capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for IgM detection.
• Testing of 213 serum samples using the newly developed immunoassay.
• Comparison of assay results with conventional virus culture as the gold standard.

Main Results:

• The developed IgM ELISA demonstrated high sensitivity (91.5%) and specificity (93.1%) for EV71 detection.
• The assay successfully detected IgM responses in patients infected with both genotype B and C of EV71.
• IgM antibodies were detectable as early as the second day post-symptom onset, with a 100% positive rate in complicated cases.

Conclusions:

• The developed IgM ELISA is a rapid, sensitive, and specific method for diagnosing enterovirus 71 infections.
• This assay facilitates early detection of EV71, including in patients with severe neurological complications.
• The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay provides a valuable tool for clinical diagnosis and research of EV71.