Abstract
Lassa virus is the etiologic agent of Lassa fever, an acute and often fatal illness endemic to West Africa. It is important to develop new reagents applicable either for the specific diagnosis or as improved therapeutics for the treatment of Lassa fever. Here, we describe the development and initial testing of llama-derived single-domain antibodies that are specific for the Lassa virus nucleoprotein. Four sequence families based on complementarity-determining region (CDR) homology were identified by phage-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, however, the highest affinity clones all belonged to the same sequence family which possess a second disulfide bond between Framework 2 and CDR3. The affinity and thermal stability were evaluated for each clone. A MagPlex-based homogeneous sandwich immunoassay for Lassa virus-like particles was also demonstrated to show their potential for further development as diagnostic reagents.
Highlights
Lassa fever, a hemorrhagic fever caused by Lassa virus (LASV), is endemic in West Africa [1].There are numerous febrile illnesses common in West Africa, which makes Lassa fever diagnosis based solely on clinical symptoms impossible
A MagPlex-based homogeneous sandwich immunoassay for Lassa virus-like particles was demonstrated to show their potential for further development as diagnostic reagents
A hemorrhagic fever caused by Lassa virus (LASV), is endemic in West Africa [1]
Summary
There are numerous febrile illnesses common in West Africa, which makes Lassa fever diagnosis based solely on clinical symptoms impossible. Diagnosis of Lassa fever is critical for limiting nosocomial infections, especially in the maternity ward where prospective mothers and their unborn children are at an extremely high risk of death if infected [2,3]. Many Lassa fever patients are asymptomatic or have nonspecific symptoms [1]. This necessitates the testing of most patients, creating a strain on healthcare costs. This is compounded by the fact that developing a reliable assay is complicated by the extent of LASV sequence diversity [4]. An additional challenge is the need for the safe collection and handling of specimens to prevent infection of the medical staff
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