This is a review of the main biological tests that can be requested by nephrologists to diagnose hepatitis C virus infection, together with a tentative specification of their indications and interpretation methods. This diagnosis is mainly based on serological tests (ELISA). The second and third generation tests contain, in addition to the NS4, proteins of the core and NS3 region. The latter tw...

Toxoplasma gondii is a parasitic protozoan which is the cause of toxoplasmosis. Although human toxoplasmosis in healthy adults is usually asymptomatic, serious disease can occur in the case of congenital infections and immunocompromised individuals. Furthermore, despite the exact recognition of its etiology, it still presents a diagnostic problem. Diagnosis of toxoplasmosis is mainly based on t...

The use of the immunoperoxidase monolayer assay (IPMA) has been limited to challenge model investigations10–11 and a few field studies. Guedes et al12 reported 100% specificity and 89% sensitivity at a serum dilution of 1:30 for the IPMA serological test. Guedes et al13 also determined that there was 98.6% agreement between the IFAT and the IPMA tests in experimentally infected pigs, concluding...

To assess the value of serological tests in diagnosing and monitoring the response to treatment of syphilis in patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), case notes of eight homosexual men with a history of treated syphilis, positive reactions to serological tests for syphilis, and documented subsequent conversion to HIV seropositivity were studied. No change was noted in se...

A serological test involves detection of specific changes, induced by a pathogen, in the properties or actions of serum of an infected host. The test may detect the presence in serum of either antibodies to the pathogen (produced by the host) or antigens (i.e. the infecting agent itself and/or its components). The many serological tests which have been developed for the diagnosis of contagious ...

Caprine arthritis encephalitis (CAE) is a chronic disease caused by a small ruminant lentivirus (SRLV), which causes significant losses in goat breeding. The actual state of animal infection with SRLV is difficult to determine due to a complex pathogenesis of the virus, including factors such as delayed or intermittent seroconversion in serological tests. Several serological techniques are avai...

AIM The aim was to evaluate lateral flow assay (LFA) as a field test for investigation of brucellosis outbreak in organized buffalo farm. MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 153 serum samples were tested to detect the presence of brucella antibodies by LFA and three other serological tests i.e. rose bengal plate test (RBPT), protein G based indirect enzyme-linked immunoassay (iELISA), and compet...

Bartonella henselae is the major etiological agent of cat scratch disease in humans. Cats act as the natural reservoir of B. henselae and can transmit the infection to humans by a bite or scratch. The prevalence of B. henselae in cat populations was evaluated by serological and bacteriological tests. A total of 769 stray cats from three urban and three rural areas in northern Italy were sampled...