Significance of IgG optical density ratios (index value) in single reactive anti-Dengue virus IgG capture ELISA

A single reactive IgG anti-Dengue virus ELISA test in the absence of IgM antibodies or NS1 antigen may denote current infection or past exposure to the virus. To determine whether IgG index value can be used to identify true current dengue infection we conducted a prospective observational study.

Suspected dengue patients (n =1745) were tested in their first specimen by MAC-ELISA, GAC-ELISA and NS1 antigen ELISA. Patients with MAC-ELISA and NS1Antigen non-reactive but GAC-ELISA reactive results (n =57) in their first test were followed up and repeated sampling was asked for IgG index values were calculated according to the manufacturer's instruction and classified as: low (2.2-2.5), medium (2.5-4.0) and high (>4.0).

16 out of 57 patients (28.1%) had low IgG Index value whereas 26 cases (45.6%) were categorized as medium and 15(26.3%) were classified as patients with high IgG index. Nine patients with paired reactive serology or antigen positive status were categorised as serologically confirmed dengue fever, 11 patients as not dengue with categorical evidence of other infections while the rest 37 casas with clinical, radiological and laboratory parameters suggestive of dengue but no serological confirmation as possible dengue. Among confirmed, possible and non-Dengue cases, 33.3, 32.4 and 0.0% had high Index value in comparison with 22.2, 29.7 and 27.3% showing low Index values, respectively.

Our results suggested a high IgG response in favour of true dengue infection than past exposure while no conclusions should drawn from a low or medium reactive GAC-ELISA results in the absence of IgM antibodies and NS1 Ag.