Document Type : Research Article
Abstract
Background: Dengue diagnosis is routinely carried out by detection of dengue virus (DENV) antigen NS1 or anti-DENV IgM antibodies using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays and rapid diagnostic tests. This study was aimed at evaluation of quality of diagnostic assays currently in use in India for the identification of DENV infection.
Methods and Materials: Serum samples from patients (n=200) seeking dengue diagnosis were test educing J Mitra dengue NS1antigen Microlisa kit and J. mitraNS1rapid antigen diagnostic kits. The presence of NS1 antigen was taken as evidence for dengue-positive diagnosis.
Results: In this record review J Mitra ELISA identified 91% patients as dengue NS1positive. J Mitra ELISA taken as reference, the J. mitra NS1 test kit was found to be less sensitive (86.6%) and less specific (89.5%).
Conclusions: These results confirmed superiority of ELISAs for NS1antigen dengue diagnosis, and emphasized on improvement in sensitivity of RDTs.