Evaluation of a new recombinant antigen-based Virotech Treponema pallidum screen ELISA for diagnosis of syphilis.

Background: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic performance of the new Sekisui Virotech Treponema pallidum Screen ELISA in comparison with the currently used treponemal tests, TPPA and FTA-abs, and to compare this new ELISA to the FDA approved Phoenix Trep-Sure ELISA.

Methods: To establish the sensitivity and specificity of the Virotech Screen, 421 serum samples from different panels of infected and noninfected patients, sera from seronegative pregnant women as well as international syphilis standard sera and panels were tested.

Results: In comparison to combined TPPA/FTA-abs, Phoenix Trep-Sure and Virotech Screen demonstrated a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 93.

Optimized serodiagnosis of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infections.

Serologic methods are well established for the diagnosis of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infections in humans, but they are less sensitive than polymerase chain reaction (PCR). To improve their sensitivity, a new panel of antigens was tested. Compared with PCR results, up to 92% of PCR-positive patients were confirmed by our immunoblotting approach having a specificity between 92.

Combination of native and recombinant cytomegalovirus antigens in a new ELISA for detection of CMV-specific antibodies.

Background: Serological detection of cytomegalovirus (CMV)-specific antibodies varies greatly due to antigen composition and the lack of antigen standardization.

Objectives: To develop and evaluate a new ELISA with native and/or recombinant cytomegalovirus antigens for the detection of anti-CMV IgG and IgM antibodies.

Results: The diagnostic performance of three anti-CMV ELISAs coated with different CMV antigen preparations, (i) native CMV antigen, (ii) a mixture of recombinant CMV peptides pp150, pp28, gB2 and pp52 and (iii) a combination of native CMV antigens and recombinant CMV IE1 antigen applied in the new Genzyme Virotech CMV ELISA, were compared.