EVALUATION OF A NEW ENZYME-IMMUNOASSAY BASED ON RECOMBINANT RUBELLA VIRUS-LIKE PARTICLES FOR DETECTION OF IMMUNOGLOBULIN-M ANTIBODIES TO RUBELLA-VIRUS

A new enzyme immunoassay for the detection of specific antibodies to r ubella virus was evaluated at two different sites. This assay, the Roc he Cobas Core Rubella IgM EIA recomb, uses a recombinant rubella virus -like particle and is based upon the immunoglobulin M (IgM) capture pr inciple, It was compared to the Abbott IMx Rubella IgM test and to the Sorin ETI-RUBEK-M reverse test. The relative clinical specificities w ere 99.30% for the Roche test, 98.26% for the Abbott test, and 100% fo r the Sorin test, The relative clinical sensitivities were 100, 93.87, and 82.65%, respectively, In the case of most primary infections, IgM antibodies could be detected immediately at the onset of the disease and for up to 7 weeks, In the case of vaccinations, they could be dete cted between 3 and 12 weeks after vaccination.