ELISA Diagnostics for West Nile Virus

New IgM and IgG enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) for antibody detection of West Nile virus are based on a West Nile virus recombinant protein antigen licensed from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, Atlanta, GA, USA). The assays have been cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

West Nile virus has emerged in recent years in temperate regions of Europe and North America. The most serious manifestation of infection is fatal encephalitis. Laboratory diagnosis is through detection of IgM and/or IgG antibodies to West Nile virus in serum. While viral detection by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is available, it may not yield positive results at the time patients show clinical symptoms. The new assays were developed by Focus Technologies (Herndon, VA, USA).

"We are pleased to be the first company to bring both IgG and IgM diagnostic products to the marketplace to aid in the clinical laboratory diagnosis of West Nile virus infection,” said Charles C. Harwood, Jr., president and CEO of Focus Technologies. "It is our hope that these products will allow for an ever-increasing number of laboratories to properly test for this important disease.”




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