Detection of antibody for the serodiagnosis of hantavirus infection in different rodent species.

Peroxidase-labeled staphylococcal protein A, streptococcal protein G, and antibodies directed against Mus musculus (mouse), Rattus norvegicus (rat), Mesocretus auratus (hamster), and Peromyscus leucopus were examined for their reactivity with immunoglobulin G (IgG) from various rodent species. The purpose of this study was to identify the optimal secondary antibodies or reagents for specific serodiagnosis of hantavirus infection in various rodent species. Using ELISA, a total of 65 sera from 29 rodent species of the family Muridae and one serum sample from family Octodontidae were compared for IgG reactivity with the six different reagents. The results demonstrate that the reactivities of the secondary antibodies and reagents to the sera varied, even among sera from rodents of the same genus. Hantavirus-specific antibody ELISA revealed that hantavirus-infected rodent sera obtained from M. musculus, R. norvegicus, Apodemus agrarius, A. peninsulae, and Bandicota indica bound to the six different conjugates in a similar pattern as that detected in IgG ELISA. These results indicate that the applicability of secondary antibodies and protein A and G should be carefully evaluated before use for serodiagnosis in different rodent species.