Author:
Chen Guan-Hua,Dai Yu-Ching,Hsieh Szu-Chia,Tsai Jih-Jin,Sy Ava Kristy,Jiz Mario,Pedroso Celia,Brites Carlos,Netto Eduardo Martins,Kanki Phyllis J.,Saunders Danielle R. D.,Vanlandingham Dana L.,Higgs Stephen,Huang Yan-Jang S.,Wang Wei-Kung
Abstract
ABSTRACTIn the past few decades, several emerging/re-emerging mosquito-borne flaviviruses have resulted in disease outbreaks of public health concern in the tropics and subtropics. Due to cross-reactivities of antibodies recognizing the envelope protein of different flaviviruses, serosurveillance remains a challenge. Previously we reported that anti-premembrane (prM) antibody can discriminate between three flavivirus infections by Western blot analysis. In this study, we aimed to develop a serological assay that can discriminate infection or exposure with flaviviruses from four serocomplexes, including dengue (DENV), Zika (ZIKV), West Nile (WNV) and yellow fever (YFV) viruses, and explore its application for serosurveillance in flavivirus-endemic countries. We employed Western blot analysis including antigens of six flaviviruses (DENV1, 2 and 4, WNV, ZIKV and YFV) from four serocomplexes. We tested serum samples from YF-17D vaccinees, and from DENV, ZIKV and WNV panels that had been confirmed by RT-PCR or by neutralization assays. The overall sensitivity/specificity of anti-prM antibodies for DENV, ZIKV, WNV, and YFV infections/exposure were 91.7%/96.4%, 91.7%/99.2%, 88.9%/98.3%, and 91.3%/92.5%, respectively. When testing 48 samples from Brazil, we identified multiple flavivirus infections/exposure including DENV and ZIKV, DENV and YFV, and DENV, ZIKV and YFV. When testing 50 samples from the Philippines, we detected DENV, ZIKV, and DENV and ZIKV infections with a ZIKV seroprevalence rate of 10%, which was consistent with reports of low-level circulation of ZIKV in Asia. Together, these findings suggest that anti-prM antibody is a flavivirus serocomplex-specific marker and can be employed to delineate four flavivirus infections/exposure in regions where multiple flaviviruses co-circulate.
Publisher
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Reference66 articles.
1. Pierson TC , Diamond MS. 2013. Flaviviruses. Knipe DM , Howley PM , eds. Fields virology, 6th ed, Philadelphia: Lippincott William & Wilkins. pp 747-794.
2. Dengue
3. The global distribution and burden of dengue
4. World Health Organization. Dengue and severe dengue. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/dengue-and-severe-dengue
5. Dengue infection and advances in dengue vaccines for children;Lancet Child Adolesc Health,2019