Monoclonal Antibody-Based Enzyme Immunoassay for Epidemiological Studies of Asymptomatic Dengue Infection

Dengue virus (DENV) is the world most prevalent mosquito-transmitted virus. The incidence of dengue infection has been increasing and most of the infected people are asymptomatic or have non specific febrile illness. Laboratory test is essential to confirm dengue infection in epidemiological studies. We developed an indirect ELISA test based on monoclonal immunoglobulin against all four DENV serotypes and evaluated the test for the diagnosis of asymptomatic dengue infection in paired annual serum samples. The indirect ELISA was found to have a sensitivity 87.5% and specificity 78.3% at optimized cut off. The results from indirect ELISA demonstrate an incidence of asymptomatic dengue infection from children aged 4 11 years in Ratchaburi province, Thailand (2006-2009). These findings indicate that the indirect ELISA is suitable for serodiagnosis and seroepidemiological studies of asymptomatic dengue infection.