Abstract |
The assessment of immunogenicity of a diluted vaccinia vaccine for possible widespread use of a diluted vaccine in the event of a bioterrorist attack prompted us to focus on the development of a sensitive and specific plaque reduction neutralization (PRN) assay to assess the antibody response of volunteers to a vaccinia ( Dryvax) vaccine. Two incubation times, 1 h or overnight (approximately 15 h), were explored for the neutralization step of the assay. In addition, serum samples were evaluated using both sonicated and nonsonicated virus in PRN assays with 1 and 15 h of incubation. The use of the overnight incubation method resulted in the detection of antibody in two vaccinated individuals who exhibited a take, i.e., a major reaction indicative of successive vaccination as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, but did not have a fourfold increase in antibody to vaccinia virus by the 1-h-incubation method and increased the sensitivity from 94 to 100%. In addition to the increased sensitivity of the assay, we noted a significant increase (approximately 40-fold) in the PRN titer of serum samples tested with the 15-h-incubation method. The use of sonicated virus increased the reproducibility of the virus titers and PRN titers. Forty-two percent of the samples tested using sonicated virus had a PRN titer that was fourfold higher or greater than that of nonsonicated virus in the assay. A PRN titer that was threefold higher or greater was observed in more than half (58%) of the samples using sonicated virus. Therefore, the more sensitive, specific, and reproducible plaque neutralization assay for the detection of antibody to vaccinia virus is the method using a 15-h-incubation time and freshly sonicated vaccinia virus.
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Authors | Frances K Newman, Sharon E Frey, Tamara P Blevins, Mahendra Mandava, Andres Bonifacio Jr, Lihan Yan, Robert B Belshe |
Journal | Journal of clinical microbiology
(J Clin Microbiol)
Vol. 41
Issue 7
Pg. 3154-7
(Jul 2003)
ISSN: 0095-1137 [Print] United States |
PMID | 12843056
(Publication Type: Evaluation Study, Journal Article, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.)
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Chemical References |
- Antibodies, Viral
- Smallpox Vaccine
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Topics |
- Antibodies, Viral
(blood)
- Humans
- Neutralization Tests
- Sensitivity and Specificity
- Smallpox
(prevention & control)
- Smallpox Vaccine
(administration & dosage, immunology)
- Sonication
- Vaccination
- Vaccinia virus
(immunology)
- Viral Plaque Assay
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