Research Notes
International diagnostic accuracy study for the serological detection of chikungunya virus infection

https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-0691.2009.02851.xGet rights and content
Under an Elsevier user license
open archive

Abstract

External quality assurance for serological detection of chikungunya virus infection was performed to assess the diagnostic quality of expert laboratories. Of 30 participants, only six correctly analysed all reference samples with their respective tests. Thirteen laboratories gave at least 85% correct results, and 11 laboratories 75% or less. IgM antibodies were detected less frequently than IgG antibodies (p <0.001). The study provides information on the quality of different serological tests and indicates that most of the participants need to improve the sensitivity of their assays, in particular to detect IgM antibodies more reliably and be able to detect acute infections adequately.

Keywords

Chikungunya fever
emerging viral infection
external quality assurance
serology
virus diagnostic

Cited by (0)

Editor: E. Gould

Article published online: 16 July 2009

*

Present address: Preparedness and Response Unit, European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, Tomtebodavägen 11A, 171 83 Stockholm, Sweden

Present address: Institute of Virology, University of Bonn Medical Centre, Sigmund-Freud-Str. 25, D-53127 Bonn, Germany