[Evaluation of a dot-blot technique for the detection of Epstein-Barr virus antibodies (IgG anti-viral capsid antigen)].

Infectious mononucleosis syndrome is caused by several infectious agents, including Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), cytomegalovirus (CMV), and Toxoplasma gondii. The ImmunoDot EBV VCA-IgG test (Biomedical Diagnostics) is a dot-blot enzyme-immunoassay, which determines the presence of heterophile antibodies and IgG antibodies directed against Epstein-Barr viral capsid antigen (anti-VCA), CMV and T. gondii. This test is simple, unitary, ready-to-use, and rapid (40 minutes), requiring approximately 10 microliters of serum or plasma or 20 microliters of whole blood. The aim of this study was to compare the results of this technique for the determination of anti-VCA IgG antibodies with those obtained by the reference technique using indirect immunofluorescence on 185 serum specimens. A sensitivity of 99.2%, a specificity of 92.4%, a correlation with indirect immunofluorescence of 97.3%, a the absence of cross-reactions with CMV, T. gondii, and herpes simplex viruses and the absence of interference with antinuclear antibodies were the main results of this comparative study. In association with another test (Monolert 2TM) detecting IgM and IgG antibodies against Epstein-Barr nuclear antigen, the dot-blot method represents a useful screening strategy for EBV response.