Zika virus (ZIKV) is a member of the virus family Flaviviridae and the genus Flavivirus, transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes, such as A. aegypti and A. albopictus. Its name comes from the Zika Forest of Uganda, where the virus was first isolated in 1947. Zika virus is related to Dengue, Yellow Fever, Japanese Encephalitis, and West Nile viruses, and many antibodies (e.g. those produced as a response to infection) cross-react between these viruses. This cross-reaction causes severe problems in identifying individuals seropostive for Zika as the much wider spread background of Dengue infections cause many false positives in most standard serological ELISAs. This Zika virus antibody capture ELISA uses an in-house manufactured Zika virus-specific antigen to virtually exclude cross reactions and is thus suitable for the accurate detection of serum antibodies to Zika virus, indicating exposure. The detection of Zika specific antibodies is relevant for epidemiological studies, particularly in populations with high prevalence of Dengue and Chikungunya virus.
Sample Type:Serum, urine and culture medium
Intended Use:This Zika Virus IgG/IgM/IgA BioAssay™ ELISA Kit is for detection of serological responses to ZIka virus infection, with very high specificity (>90%) and sensitivity (>90%), with a total assay time of less than 2 hours.
Test Principle:This Zika Virus IgG/IgM/IgA ELISA assay is designed for the detection of Zika-specific antibodies in human serum. It is minimally cross-reactive with antibodies to Dengue virus (a closely-related flavivirus), and so can be used to distinguish human anti-Zika antibodies from other flavivirus and infectious disease antibodies, especially in epidemiological studies. Use of the assay is intended for detection of IgG in convalescent sera, although IgM/IgA are also detected earlier on in the infection cycle.
