Immunoglobulin class and immunoglobulin G subclass enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays compared with microneutralization assay for serodiagnosis of mumps infection and determination of immunity.

Total immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgG subclass reactivities with purified mumps glycoproteins (GP) and nucleoprotein (NP), measured in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs), were compared with titers in a mumps microneutralization assay (NT). For determination of mumps immunity, the sensitivity of both ELISAs was 100% in comparison with the NT and the specificity was 90%. IgG1 was the dominant subclass against the two antigens found in seropositive healthy individuals. In samples from patients with clinical mumps infections and positive mumps IgM, titer rises of total IgG against NP were invariably seen before GP titer rises. Significant but often late titers rises in NT were found in all patients. Changes of IgG1 levels against both antigens followed the changes of total specific IgG. High levels of IgG3 against NP were diagnostic for mumps infection. In parainfluenza infections, titer rises in the mumps ELISAs and NT were found, but mumps IgM, NP IgG3, and the high ratio between the NP and GP titers found in early samples from patients with mumps infection were not observed.