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Updated: Apr 1, 2026
Author Spotlight: Advancements in Multiplex Detection of Respiratory Viruses
Published on: November 10, 2023
A sensitive and specific antigen detection assay for Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus
Yixin Chen1, Kwok-Hung Chan2, Yahong Kang1
1State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University , Xiamen 361102, Fujian Province, China ; National Institute of Diagnostics and Vaccine Development in Infectious Diseases, School of Public Health, Xiamen University , Xiamen 361102, Fujian Province, China.
Abstract:
Since its emergence in 2012, more than 900 laboratory-confirmed cases of Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) have been reported with a fatality rate of more than 30%. However, no antigen detection assay for commercial use is available for diagnosis. In this study, the full-length nucleocapsid protein (NP) gene of MERS coronavirus (MERS-CoV) was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. A MERS-CoV NP capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using two MERS-CoV-NP-specific monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) generated was developed. The ELISA was evaluated using 129 nasopharyngeal aspirates (NPAs) positive for various respiratory viruses and simulated positive NPAs by adding serial dilutions of MERS-CoV. Using a cutoff OD of 0.19, all 129 NPAs positive for respiratory viruses showed very low OD, with a specificity of 100%. For the two simulated MERS-CoV-positive NPAs with serial dilutions of live MERS-CoV, all samples with ≥10 50% tissue culture infective dose (TCID50)/0.1 mL showed positive results. For the 10 additional NPAs with 20 and 200 TCID50/0.1 mL of live MERS-CoV added, all were positive. A highly sensitive and specific MAbs-based antigen capture ELISA has been developed for MERS. This sensitive and specific antigen capture ELISA should be useful for detection of MERS-CoV in human and dromedaries and in field studies.
