Authors: Moraes Soane M, Freitas Henriques D, Abreu Lima J, Caricio Martins L, Muigg N, Klemens O, Saschenbrecker S, Schlumberger W, Steinhagen K
Mayaro virus (MAYV) causes a febrile illness which is often associated with persistent arthralgia and can be clinically indistinguishable from other arbovirus infections. Serological differentiation is complicated by antibody cross-reactivity among alphaviruses. As the number of persons at risk of MAYV infection is increasing, there is a need for standardized laboratory assays enabling monitoring and diagnostic confirmation of MAYV infections. Here, the performance of the novel Euroimmun Anti-Mayaro Virus ELISA IgM was analyzed using sera from Brazilian patients with febrile infections diagnosed by in-house IgM antibody capture ELISA and indirect hemagglutination inhibition assay. In a panel comprising 21 MAYV positive patients and 25 MAYV negative controls, the Anti-Mayaro Virus ELISA IgM was 100% (21/21) sensitive and 76% (19/25) specific. Discrepant results were obtained in 6 samples from patients infected with chikunguya virus (CHIKV, 5/6) or flavivirus (1/6). The majority of deviations from in-house assays were likely due to cross-reactivity with the closely related CHIKV. In conclusion, the novel ELISA provides high sensitivity, enabling effective screening for MAYV-infected patients.
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