DEVELOPMENT OF AN ENZYME-LINKED-IMMUNOSORBENT-ASSAY FOR MEASUREMENT OF FIRE ANT VENOM-SPECIFIC IGE

An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed for in vitr o measurement of IgE specific for Solenopsis invicta venom. Enhanced b inding microtiter plates were coated with S. invicta venom protein and incubated with sera from fire ant allergic patients and control subje cts. Bound IgE was tagged with peroxidase-conjugated monoclonal anti-I gE and quantitated with the substrate/indicator system H2O2/tetramethy lbenzidine. Absorbance (620 nm) represented venom-specific IgE values. The ELISA correlated well with the imported fire ant venom PAST (r =. 87, P <.0001). Using skin test reactivity as the standard measure of v enom-specific IgE, the venom ELISA appeared to be a sensitive in vitro assay comparable to venom PAST ELISA is less expensive than PAST and does not require licensing or handling of radioisotopes.