Use of linear and multiple antigenic peptides in the immunodiagnosis of acute hepatitis A virus infection

The reactivities of two panels of anti-HAV human sera from geographically d istinct areas (Chile and Spain) to synthetic peptides from the VP1, VP2 and VP3 hepatitis A virus capsid proteins were examined by an enzyme-linked im munosorbent assay (ELISA) procedure. Two and four branched multiple antigen ic peptides (MAPs) and palmitoylated peptides were compared with free synth etic sequences for the detection of IgM anti-HAV antibodies in the two pane ls of human sera. Our results showed that acute hepatitis A patient sera re cognized preferentially homogeneous two branched MAPs and palmitic acid con jugated peptides. The palmitoyl-derived VP3(110-121) peptide and the corres ponding dimeric MAP were the most sensitive and appropriate for serological studies of HAV-infected patients by ELISA, sensitivity and specificity bei ng higher than 90% and 95%, respectively. These peptide-based tests open up new avenues in the development of peptide-based immunosorbent assays for t he detection of acute HAV disease. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All right s reserved.