Detection of Measles Virus-Specific Immunoglobulin M in Dried Venous Blood Samples by Using a Commercial Enzyme Immunoassay

Abstract

The optical densities (ODs) of 216 dried venous blood (DVB) samples submitted to the Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory as part of enhanced measles surveillance were compared to the ODs of the corresponding serum samples collected at the same time. DVB samples, stored for up to 24 months at 4°C, were tested by the Dade Behring Enzygnost Anti-Measles-Virus/IgM immunoassay. Elution and testing conditions were optimized with the use of spiked DVB samples. The assay showed an overall sensitivity of 90.2% and a specificity of 98.8% for DVB samples compared to the results for serum. When the results were analyzed according to the length of time that the DVB sample had been stored, the assay was 100% sensitive and 97% specific according to the ODs for those samples stored for less than 6 months compared to the results for the corresponding serum samples, with 97.7% agreement between the results for the two sample types. These results demonstrate the potential for the use of DVB samples for the diagnosis of measles in routine diagnostic laboratories.

An Overview of the Clinical Use of Filter Paper in the Diagnosis of Tropical Diseases

“…The NAAT was 100% sensitive and specific, whereas the serological assay had lower sensitivity and specificity (both were > 93%) (Supplemental Table C). 53,54 At 4°C DBS storage, measles antibody and EBV IgA and IgG were stable for at least 24 weeks 49,52…”

“…Three studies evaluated measles antibody (IgM or IgG) detection using DBS 49–51. Uzicanin and others51 showed that the sensitivity of DBS compared with serum increased for IgM from 95.7% for samples collected from days 1 to 6 of the illness to 100% when samples were collected 1 week after the appearance of the rash 51…”

The Challenges and Strategies for Laboratory Diagnosis of Measles in an International Setting

“…Work with filter paper blood spot samples is also proceeding well [40][41][42][43][44][45][46]. Similar to oral fluid samples, the sensitivity and specificity of detection of measles-specific IgM and IgG by EIA from filter paper blood spots compared with serum samples appears to be relatively high [40,47,48]. It also appears that viral genome can be detected successfully by RT-PCR from blood eluted from the filter paper blood spots [47,49,50].…”

“…It also appears that viral genome can be detected successfully by RT-PCR from blood eluted from the filter paper blood spots [47,49,50]. There are several advantages of filter paper blood collection: It does not require a cold chain for long periods before processing as long as the samples are kept in low humidity; the sample appears to work for testing in different measles-specific IgM and IgG assays, including a commercial assay with good sensitivity and specificity [40,47,48], although the reconstitution methods need to be optimized; and the same sample can probably be used for rubella testing.…”

Dried Blood Spots versus Sera for Detection of Rubella Virus-Specific Immunoglobulin M (IgM) and IgG in Samples Collected during a Rubella Outbreak in Peru

“…Recent studies have suggested that filter paper dried blood spots (DBS) are suitable for laboratory detection of measles-specific immunoglobulin M (IgM) (2,3,(6)(7)(8). In this study, we compared the detection of rubella virus-specific IgM and IgG in DBS to their detection in serum samples collected from health care provider-diagnosed rubella patients.…”