VectorTest™ West Nile Virus Antigen Assay in an Inhibition Platform as Field Screening Tool for Flavivirus Group-Specific Antibodies in Brazilian Equines

J Am Mosq Control Assoc. 2017 Sep;33(3):237-240. doi: 10.2987/17-6645R.1.

Abstract

Current methods for detecting Flavivirus antibodies are enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) and neutralization tests, both of which require laboratories and trained staff. We evaluated the VectorTest™ West Nile Virus Antigen Assay in an inhibition platform (VecTest-inhibition assay [VIA]) as a simpler screening method for detecting antibodies for a variety of flaviviruses among a population of equines from Brazil. We found that the VIA is a field-deployable rapid method with 100% sensitivity and 64% specificity compared with blocking ELISA for the detection of group-specific Flavivirus antibodies in equine serum samples. The VIA is a potentially useful field test for rapid field-based Flavivirus antibody detection in equine serum samples.

Keywords: Brazil; Flavivirus; Pantanal; VecTest-inhibition assay; VectorTest; equines.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Viral / blood*
  • Brazil
  • Horse Diseases / diagnosis*
  • Horse Diseases / virology
  • Horses
  • Mass Screening / methods
  • Mass Screening / veterinary*
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • West Nile Fever / diagnosis
  • West Nile Fever / veterinary*
  • West Nile Fever / virology
  • West Nile virus / immunology*

Substances

  • Antibodies, Viral