DETECTION OF MEASLES AND RUBELLA ANTIBODIES IN DRIED BLOOD SPOTS

Abstract

This study aimed to determine the frequency of detection of measles and rubella antibodies in dried blood spots in Bulgaria. Material and Methods: Two types of clinical material, serum samples and dried blood spots (DBS), were tested from a total of 101 patients. Serological methods (indirect ELISA) were used for detection of specific viral markers (IgM and IgG antibodies) indicating acute or past measles and rubella infection. Results: In the present study, the patients were with median age of 39 years and divided into 11 age groups. The majority of patients were under 30 years of age and from the capital of Sofia. In 3 patients acute measles infection was confirmed by positive ELISA-IgM results for the serum samples and DBS. No acute rubella infection was detected. Measles and rubella IgG seroprevalence was determined as 83/101 (82%, 95% CI: 74.51÷89.49) and 79/101 (78%, 95% CI: 69.92÷86.08) in serum samples, and 79/101 (78%, 95% CI: 69.92÷86.08) and 73/101 (72%, 95% CI: 63.25÷80.75) in DBS, respectively. In combination with immunoenzymatic testing for measles and rubella IgM/IgG markers, coincidence of results for both types of clinical material was found in >90% of cases. No significant differences were found in the results in terms of gender and age. Conclusion: In recent years a variety of new and innovative applications of DBS are introduced in medicine, neonatology, virology, microbiology, etc. The optimisation of the DBS technique as an alternative approach to venepuncture in virology is very important for conducting seroepidemiological studies and to a certain extent for the surveillance of epidemic outbreaks.

Keywords

• dried blood spots
• measles
• rubella
• ELISA assay
• IgM/IgG antibodies