Analysis of effectivity of the tickborne encephalitis virus detection methods in ixodid ticks

Abstract

Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is transmissible viral disease widely common in temperate zone of Eurasia. ELISA and PCR are used for express identification of the vector’s infection, but the results of the two methods often do not agree. Aim of the work is comparative analysis for TBE virus of Ixodid ticks from nature using complex of methods, including ELISA, PCR, and isolation of the virus in laboratory mice. 18608 Ixodid ticks were collected during 2013-2019 in TBE natural foci of the Baikal Region. The ticks suspensions were examined individually, using ELISA (n=17610) and PCR (n=2999). Suckling mice were inoculated with the suspensions positive in the both tests. The TBEV antigen was found in 1.2 % of ticks in average. All ticks positive in ELISA were examined in PCR (Group 1). Randomly selected part of negative-ELISA samples were examined in PCR too (Group 2). The PCR results were positive in 68.9±3.13 % of the Group 1, with average Ct index 24.6±0.38. Positive results of PCR in Group 2 accounted for just 2.7±0.31 % with average Ct index 31.0±0.70. The average Ct margin of the Groups 1 and 2 is statistically significant (p < 0.001; df = 118). Isolation of strains was significantly more successful in Group 1 (21.7±2.77 %), than in Group 2 (8.2±5.26 %; p < 0.05; df = 50). ELISA is more useful for examining large amounts of ticks. To get a more complex picture about epidemically dangerous part of the vectors in TBE natural foci, the results of the two express-methods is better to sum. The isolation of the virus is useful to carry out of the samples positive in ELISA and PCR concurrently.