Comparison of PanBio Dengue Duo IgM and IgG capture ELISA and venture technologies dengue IgM and IgG dot blot.

BACKGROUND

A number of commercial ELISA for dengue diagnosis have recently become available, though direct comparison between these assays have not been published.

OBJECTIVES

The Venture Technologies Dengue IgM and IgG Dot Blot assays and the PanBio Dengue Duo IgM and IgG Capture ELISA were compared.

STUDY

DESIGN

Paired sera from patients with dengue (n=20) and Japanese encephalitis (JE, n=10), and single sera from patients with typhoid (n=10), leptospirosis (n=10) and scrub typhus (n=10) were assayed according to the manufacturer's instructions.

RESULTS

The Dot Blot IgM ELISA showed higher sensitivity than the PanBio IgM ELISA (100 vs. 95%), while the PanBio IgM ELISA showed higher specificity in JE (100 vs. 20%) and non-flavivirus infections (100 vs. 97%). Defining elevation of either IgM or IgG as a positive result, the Dot Blot and ELISA tests both showed 100% sensitivity in dengue infection, while the PanBio test showed superior specificity in JE (70 vs. 0%) and non-flavivirus infections (100 vs. 67%).

CONCLUSIONS

Both assays are useful aids to the serological diagnosis of dengue infection. The clinical setting, user preference and local conditions will be important in determining which test is more appropriate.