Development of a prototype immunochromatographic test for rapid diagnosis of respiratory adenovirus infection

Abstract

Human adenoviruses comprise an important group of etiologic agents that are responsible for various diseases in adults and children, such as respiratory, ocular, gastroenteric, and urinary infections. In immunocompromised and organ-transplanted individuals, these agents can cause generalized infections. Rapid diagnostic methods for detecting these infectious agents are not widely available. The aim of this work was to produce monoclonal and polyclonal anti-adenovirus antibodies to be used in a rapid diagnostic test for respiratory infections. Adenovirus hexons were satisfactorily purified by ultracentrifugation and chromatography. After virus purification, anti-hexon monoclonal antibodies were produced and characterized, following classical methods. Antibodies were specific for adenoviruses 2, 3, 5, and 41. The proposed immunochromatographic test was standardized using colloidal gold. The standardization of the rapid test was sufficient to detect adenovirus antigens (in nasopharyngeal lavage samples) with sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 85% when compared to direct immunofluorescence. The immunochromatographic assay prototype was sufficiently sensitive to detect B (3), C (2 and 5), and F (41) adenovirus samples. Although based on preliminary data, the test demonstrated the same performance as direct immunofluorescence, but with the advantage of being a point-of-care test. Further studies are still needed to confirm its effectiveness in clinical practice.

Potential Diagnostic and Prognostic Biomarkers for Adenovirus Respiratory Infection in Children and Young Adults

“…Hence, point-of-care methods are readily available and do not need equipment or specialized training to be performed. They both give rapid results but can be successfully employed only in infection from common serotypes [ 56 , 64 , 65 ].…”

Different Clinical Manifestations of Adenoviral Infection Confirmed Using Point-of-Care Testing in a Group of Hospitalized Children

“…Using POC testing for HAdV infections is readily available and allows doctors to make the correct diagnosis quickly. However, POC tests are still not performed routinely [ 3 , 10 , 11 ].…”

Unleashing the power of colloidal gold immunochromatographic assays for plant virus diagnostics

“…The presence of the virus results in a visible signal on the test line. Direct assays are simple and rapid and are suitable for the detection of viruses with a single dominant antigenic site [ 91 ]. They are particularly useful for on-site testing and point-of-care applications.…”