Comparative evaluation of the new ARCHITECT EBV assays considering different testing algorithms

• Published in: Diagnostic microbiology and infectious disease 2014-07, Vol.79 (3), p.310-316
• Main Authors: Sickinger, Eva, Berth, Mario, Vockel, Angela, Braun, Hans-Bertram, Oer, Michael, Buenning, Carsten
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Algorithms; Antibodies, Viral - blood; Antigens, Viral; Diagnostic Tests, Routine - methods; Epstein-Barr virus (EBV); Epstein-Barr Virus Infections - diagnosis; Herpesvirus 4, Human - immunology; Herpesvirus 4, Human - isolation & purification; Humans; Immunoglobulin G - blood; Immunoglobulin M - blood; Infection stage determination; Infectious Disease; Internal Medicine; Sensitivity and Specificity; Serologic Tests - methods; Testing algorithms; VCA IgG and EBNA-1 IgG; VCA IgM
• ISSN: 0732-8893; 1879-0070
• DOI: 10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2014.03.022

Abstract In the current evaluation, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) serology was performed on 1113 routine serum samples. Although the initial request for all samples from the general practitioner was EBV IgM testing, 80.9% were classified as past infections. The ARCHITECT® viral capsid antigen (VCA) IgM, VCA IgG, and EBV nuclear antigen (EBNA) 1 IgG assays showed good results for sensitivity and specificity, being 100.0%, 98.3%, and 100.0% and 99.9%, 95.4%, and 99.6%, respectively. Using an algorithm based on initial EBNA-1 IgG testing, followed by VCA IgG and IgM for samples that were not EBNA-1 IgG reactive, the number of tests per sample could be reduced to nearly 50% compared to parallel testing. The high sensitivity and specificity of the ARCHITECT® EBNA-1 IgG assay in combination with a low number of grayzone results are a precondition for the chosen test algorithm. Thus, the newly developed ARCHITECT® EBV panel is suitable for accurate and cost-efficient EBV serology in a routine clinical laboratory.