Detection of antibodies to varicella-zoster virus in recipients of the varicella vaccine by using a luciferase immunoprecipitation system assay

Abstract

A high-throughput test to detect varicella-zoster virus (VZV) antibodies in varicella vaccine recipients is not currently available. One of the most sensitive tests for detecting VZV antibodies after vaccination is the fluorescent antibody to membrane antigen (FAMA) test. Unfortunately, this test is labor-intensive, somewhat subjective to read, and not commercially available. Therefore, we developed a highly quantitative and high-throughput luciferase immunoprecipitation system (LIPS) assay to detect antibody to VZV glycoprotein E (gE). Tests of children who received the varicella vaccine showed that the gE LIPS assay had 90% sensitivity and 70% specificity, a viral capsid antigen enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) had 67% and 87% specificity, and a glycoprotein ELISA (not commercially available in the United States) had 94% sensitivity and 74% specificity compared with the FAMA test. The rates of antibody detection by the gE LIPS and glycoprotein ELISA were not statistically different. Therefore, the gE LIPS assay may be useful for detecting VZV antibodies in varicella vaccine recipients. (This study has been registered at ClinicalTrials.gov under registration no. NCT00921999.).

Copyright © 2014, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Figures

FIG 1

Detection of anti-VZV gE antibody by luciferase immunoprecipitation system (LIPS) assay. The subjects in the validation cohort included persons prior to varicella vaccination, recipients of the varicella vaccine, and naturally infected persons. Each symbol represents an individual serum sample from a subject whose serum tested negative (Neg) or positive (Pos) in the FAMA assay. The antibody titers were measured in luminometer units. The dotted line represents the cutoff level for determining sensitivity and specificity, and the solid horizontal lines represent median values.

FIG 2

Comparison of anti-VZV gE antibody by luciferase immunoprecipitation system (LIPS) assay with the fluorescent antibody to membrane antigen (FAMA) test. (A) Adults who received the varicella vaccine several years earlier. (B) Children who recently received the varicella vaccine. Each symbol represents an individual serum sample from a subject. The dotted line represents the cutoff level for determining sensitivity and specificity. Neg, negative; Pos, positive.