TY - JOUR
T1 - Comparison of the performance of IFA, CFA, and ELISA assays for the serodiagnosis of acute Q fever by quality assessment
AU - Herremans, Tineke
AU - Hogema, Boris M.
AU - Nabuurs, Marrigje
AU - Peeters, Marcel
AU - Wegdam-Blans, Marjolijn
AU - Schneeberger, Peter
AU - Nijhuis, Carla
AU - Notermans, Daan W.
AU - Galama, Joep
AU - Horrevorts, Anton
AU - van Loo, Inge H. M.
AU - Vlaminckx, Bart
AU - Zaaijer, Hans L.
AU - Koopmans, Marion P.
AU - Berkhout, Hanneke
AU - Socolovschi, Cristina
AU - Raoult, Didier
AU - Stenos, John
AU - Nicholson, William
AU - Bijlmer, Henk
PY - 2013/1
Y1 - 2013/1
N2 - The indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) is considered the reference method for diagnosing Q fever, but serology is also performed by complement fixation assay (CFA) or enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). However, comparability between these assays is not clear, and therefore a quality assessment was performed. A total of 25 serum samples from negative controls, Q fever patients, and a serial diluted high-positive sample were analyzed in 10 Dutch laboratories. Six laboratories performed CFA, 5 performed IFA, and 5 performed ELISAs. Three international reference laboratories from Australia, France, and the USA also participated in this study. Qualitative values between laboratories using the same methods were within close range, and all 3 methods correctly identified acute Q fever patients. The IFA, ELISA, and CFA are all suitable serodiagnostic assays to diagnose acute Q fever, but the IFA remains an important tool in the follow-up of patients and in identifying patients at risk for developing chronic Q fever.
AB - The indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) is considered the reference method for diagnosing Q fever, but serology is also performed by complement fixation assay (CFA) or enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). However, comparability between these assays is not clear, and therefore a quality assessment was performed. A total of 25 serum samples from negative controls, Q fever patients, and a serial diluted high-positive sample were analyzed in 10 Dutch laboratories. Six laboratories performed CFA, 5 performed IFA, and 5 performed ELISAs. Three international reference laboratories from Australia, France, and the USA also participated in this study. Qualitative values between laboratories using the same methods were within close range, and all 3 methods correctly identified acute Q fever patients. The IFA, ELISA, and CFA are all suitable serodiagnostic assays to diagnose acute Q fever, but the IFA remains an important tool in the follow-up of patients and in identifying patients at risk for developing chronic Q fever.
KW - Coxiella burnetii
KW - Q fever
KW - Serology
KW - Quality assessment
U2 - 10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2012.09.001
DO - 10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2012.09.001
M3 - Article
C2 - 23041450
SN - 0732-8893
VL - 75
SP - 16
EP - 21
JO - Diagnostic Microbiology and Infectious Disease
JF - Diagnostic Microbiology and Infectious Disease
IS - 1
ER -