MxA protein in capillary blood of children with viral infections

Capillary blood of febrile children was lysed by using a lysis buffer conta ining ascorbic acid. MxA quantitation was performed by an immunochemilumine scent assay. The MxA values were significantly higher in capillary blood of infants with viral infections due to adenovirus (n = 5), rotavirus (n = 15 ), or respiratory syncytial virus (n = 28), than in capillary whole blood f rom infants with bacterial infections (n = 6) and healthy control patients (n = 20). A strong correlation was found between the MxA values in capillar y whole blood and peripheral whole blood (r' = 0.86, P < 0.0001, n = 48). T he MxA values found at these two sites were compared with the levels of IFN -cr obtained by a dissociation enhanced lanthanide fluoroimmunoassay. A cor relation between these two values was found. The results show that the comb ination of collection of blood by finger prick and specific immunochemilumi nescent assay for MxA protein measurement may be of value for the diagnosis of viral infections in children. (C) 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.