A liquid-phase blocking ELISA for the detection of antibodies to rabies virus

• Published in: Journal of virological methods Vol. 51; no. 1; pp. 31 - 42
• Main Authors: Esterhuysen, J.J., Prehaud, C., Thomson, G.R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Elsevier B.V 1995; Amsterdam Elsevier; New York, NY
• Subjects: Africa, Southern - epidemiology; Animals; Antibodies, Viral - blood; Antibody detection; Antigens, Viral; Binding, Competitive; Biological and medical sciences; Cattle; Dogs; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay - methods; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay - statistics & numerical data; False Positive Reactions; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Glycoproteins - immunology; Humans; Indirect ELISA; Liquid-phase blocking ELISA; Mice; Microbiology; Rabbits; Rabies - epidemiology; Rabies - immunology; Rabies - veterinary; Rabies Vaccines - pharmacology; Rabies virus; Rabies virus - immunology; Sensitivity and Specificity; Seroepidemiologic Studies; Techniques used in virology; Viral Envelope Proteins - immunology; Virology; Virology - methods; Virology - statistics & numerical data; Africa, Southern; Antibody detection; Liquid-phase blocking ELISA; Rabies virus; Indirect ELISA; Virus; Human; Rhabdoviridae; Antibody; Animal; Lyssavirus; Serum; Method; Detection; ELISA assay
• ISSN: 0166-0934; 1879-0984
• DOI: 10.1016/0166-0934(94)00098-2

A liquid-phase blocking ELISA was adapted to the detection and titration of antibodies to principally the nucleoprotein of rabies virus. Sera from animals that had either been vaccinated against rabies or inoculated with street rabies viruses, as well as sera from animals that had no recorded contact with rabies, were tested. These included sera from people, cattle, sheep, goats, dogs, laboratory mice, rabbits, yellow mongooses, wild dogs and lions. Where possible, the results were compared with those obtained with a commercial kit incorporating an indirect ELISA that measures antibody to the rabies glycoprotein. There was a high correlation ( r = 0.79) between the two tests. The blocking ELISA provides a single test suitable for the rapid detection of antibodies against rabies virus in the sera of any animal species and for that reason is particularly apt for epidemiological investigations in regions where species diversity is important, as in southern Africa.