Comparing Antibodies for Detecting West Nile Virus in Crows
Author Information
Author(s): Rebecca C Smedley, Jon S Patterson, RoseAnn Miller, Jeffrey P Massey, Annabel G Wise, Roger K Maes, Ping Wu, John B Kaneene, Matti Kiupel
Primary Institution: Diagnostic Center for Population and Animal Health and Department of Pathobiology and Diagnostic Investigation, MI, USA
Hypothesis
Is there a significant difference in sensitivity and specificity between monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies for detecting West Nile virus in American crows?
Conclusion
The polyclonal antibody is more sensitive than the monoclonal antibody for detecting West Nile virus in American crows.
Supporting Evidence
- The sensitivity of polyclonal antibody staining was 100%, while monoclonal antibody staining was only 72%.
- Both antibodies had a test specificity of 100% when compared to PCR results.
- The most sensitive organs for IHC were the kidney, liver, lung, spleen, and small intestine.
Takeaway
This study looked at how well different antibodies can find a virus in crows. One type of antibody worked much better than the other.
Methodology
Immunohistochemical staining and real-time RT-PCR were performed on various organs from 85 free-ranging American crows.
Limitations
The monoclonal antibody may not be suitable for WNV surveillance due to its lower sensitivity.
Participant Demographics
Free-ranging American crows found dead in Michigan.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p ≤ 0.05
Confidence Interval
91.6 – 100
Statistical Significance
p ≤ 0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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