IgM and
IgG based ELISA systems were developed using the culture filtrate
antigen (CFA) of Burkholderia pseudomallei. The assays were evaluated using 95 sera from 66 septicemic cases and 47 sera from 20 cases with localized
melioidosis. In addition 65 sera from culture negative cases that were also serologically negative for other endemic
infections clinically suspected of
melioidosis were included. These were compared with sera from 260 non-
melioidosis cases, 169 sera from individuals with high risk of acquiring the
infection and 48 sera from healthy controls. The
IgG-ELISA was 96% sensitive and 94% specific. All sera from cases with septicemic and localized
infections and 61 of 63 sera from clinically suspected
melioidosis cases were positive for
IgG antibody. The geometric mean titre index (GMTI) values of
IgG antibody in
melioidosis cases were significantly higher (p < 0.0005) compared to that of healthy subjects, high risk group and subjects with non-
melioidosis infections. The sensitivity and specificity of
IgM ELISA was 74 and 99% respectively. The GMTI value of
IgM antibody in the sera of
melioidosis cases was significantly higher as compared to that of non-
melioidosis disease controls (p < or = 0.001). These results demonstrate that the detection of
IgG is a better
indicator of the disease in the diagnosis of
melioidosis.