Gheyath K Nasrallah1, Soha R Dargham2, Afifah S Sahara3, Malaz S Elsidiq3, Laith J Abu-Raddad4. 1. Department of Biomedical Science, College of Health Sciences, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar; BioMedical Research Center, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar. Electronic address: gheyath.nasrallah@qu.edu.qa. 2. Infectious Disease Epidemiology Group, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Cornell University, Qatar Foundation - Education City, Doha, Qatar. 3. Department of Biomedical Science, College of Health Sciences, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar. 4. Infectious Disease Epidemiology Group, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Cornell University, Qatar Foundation - Education City, Doha, Qatar; Department of Healthcare Policy and Research, Weill Cornell Medicine, Cornell University, NY, USA; College of Health and Life Sciences, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Doha, Qatar.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Assessments of commercial assays in detecting herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) antibodies have shown variable sensitivity and specificity, and variation in performance by global population. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate performance of four assays in detecting HSV-2 antibodies in a composite Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) population. The assays are two ELISA kits: HerpeSelect® 2 ELISA IgG and Euroimmun Anti-HSV-2 (gG2) ELISA (IgG), and two immunoblot (IB)/Western blot (WB) assays: HerpeSelect® 1 and 2 Immunoblot IgG and Euroimmun Anti-HSV-1/HSV-2 gG2 Euroline-WB (IgG/IgM). STUDY DESIGN: Blood specimens were drawn from blood donors between 2013-2016 in Doha, Qatar. Twenty specimens from ten nationalities (Egypt, Iran, Jordan, Lebanon, Pakistan, Palestine, Qatar, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen; total = 200) were randomly selected and tested for HSV-2 antibodies. RESULTS: In the six possible assay comparisons, Cohen's kappa statistics indicated fair to good agreement, ranging between 0.57 (95% CI 0.28-0.86) and 0.69 (95% CI 0.44-0.95). Meanwhile, positive percent agreement ranged between 50.0 (95% CI 18.7-81.3%) and 63.6% (95% CI 30.8-89.1%); negative percent agreement ranged between 97.8% (95% CI 94.4-99.4%) and 99.5% (95% CI 97.0-100.0%); and overall percent agreement ranged between 95.8% (95% CI 91.9-97.9%) and 97.5% (95% CI 94.2-98.9%). The two ELISA kits demonstrated comparable sensitivities and specificities ≥50% and >98%, respectively, with respect to the IB/WB assays. CONCLUSION: The study provided, for the first time, primary data on performance of these assays in diagnosing HSV-2 infection in MENA populations. Findings support comparable performance and utility of these assays, and demonstrate challenges in establishing seropositivity (versus seronegativity).
BACKGROUND: Assessments of commercial assays in detecting herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) antibodies have shown variable sensitivity and specificity, and variation in performance by global population. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate performance of four assays in detecting HSV-2 antibodies in a composite Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) population. The assays are two ELISA kits: HerpeSelect® 2 ELISA IgG and Euroimmun Anti-HSV-2 (gG2) ELISA (IgG), and two immunoblot (IB)/Western blot (WB) assays: HerpeSelect® 1 and 2 Immunoblot IgG and Euroimmun Anti-HSV-1/HSV-2 gG2 Euroline-WB (IgG/IgM). STUDY DESIGN: Blood specimens were drawn from blood donors between 2013-2016 in Doha, Qatar. Twenty specimens from ten nationalities (Egypt, Iran, Jordan, Lebanon, Pakistan, Palestine, Qatar, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen; total = 200) were randomly selected and tested for HSV-2 antibodies. RESULTS: In the six possible assay comparisons, Cohen's kappa statistics indicated fair to good agreement, ranging between 0.57 (95% CI 0.28-0.86) and 0.69 (95% CI 0.44-0.95). Meanwhile, positive percent agreement ranged between 50.0 (95% CI 18.7-81.3%) and 63.6% (95% CI 30.8-89.1%); negative percent agreement ranged between 97.8% (95% CI 94.4-99.4%) and 99.5% (95% CI 97.0-100.0%); and overall percent agreement ranged between 95.8% (95% CI 91.9-97.9%) and 97.5% (95% CI 94.2-98.9%). The two ELISA kits demonstrated comparable sensitivities and specificities ≥50% and >98%, respectively, with respect to the IB/WB assays. CONCLUSION: The study provided, for the first time, primary data on performance of these assays in diagnosing HSV-2 infection in MENA populations. Findings support comparable performance and utility of these assays, and demonstrate challenges in establishing seropositivity (versus seronegativity).
Authors: Gheyath K Nasrallah; Soha R Dargham; Farah Shurrab; Duaa W Al-Sadeq; Hadeel Al-Jighefee; Hiam Chemaitelly; Zaina Al Kanaani; Abdullatif Al Khal; Einas Al Kuwari; Peter Coyle; Andrew Jeremijenko; Anvar Hassan Kaleeckal; Ali Nizar Latif; Riyazuddin Mohammad Shaik; Hanan F Abdul Rahim; Hadi M Yassine; Mohamed G Al Kuwari; Hamda Qotba; Hamad Eid Al Romaihi; Patrick Tang; Roberto Bertollini; Mohamed H Al-Thani; Asmaa A Althani; Laith J Abu-Raddad Journal: Sci Rep Date: 2021-06-04 Impact factor: 4.379
Authors: Salma Younes; Hadeel Al-Jighefee; Farah Shurrab; Duaa W Al-Sadeq; Nadin Younes; Soha R Dargham; Nader Al-Dewik; Hamda Qotba; Mohamed Syed; Ahmed Alnuaimi; Hadi M Yassine; Patrick Tang; Laith J Abu-Raddad; Gheyath K Nasrallah Journal: Microorganisms Date: 2021-01-25
Authors: Farah M Shurrab; Nadin Younes; Duaa W Al-Sadeq; Na Liu; Hamda Qotba; Laith J Abu-Raddad; Gheyath K Nasrallah Journal: Int J Infect Dis Date: 2022-02-26 Impact factor: 12.074