Zika virus serological diagnosis: commercial tests and monoclonal antibodies as tools.

Aldacilene Souza Da Silva,Elizabeth De Gaspari,Mariana Sequetin Cunha,Kelly Cristina Alves De Oliveira,Carlos Roberto Prudencio,Aline Diniz Cabral,Isaura Beatriz Borges Silva

doi:10.1590/1678-9199-jvatitd-2020-0019

Abstract

Zika virus (ZIKV), an emerging arthropod-borne virus (arbovirus) of the Flaviviridae family, is a current issue worldwide, particularly because of the congenital and neurological syndromes associated with infection by this virus. As the initial clinical symptoms of all diseases caused by this group are very similar, clinical diagnosis is difficult. Furthermore, laboratory diagnostic efforts have failed to identify specific and accurate tests for each virus of the Flaviviridae family due to the cross-reactivity of these viruses in serum samples. This situation has resulted in underreporting of the diseases caused by flaviviruses. However, many companies developed commercial diagnostic tests after the recent ZIKV outbreak. Moreover, health regulatory agencies have approved different commercial tests to extend the monitoring of ZIKV infections. Considering that a specific and sensitive diagnostic method for estimating risk and evaluating ZIKV propagation is still needed, this review aims to provide an update of the main commercially approved serological diagnostics test by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Brazilian National Health Surveillance Agency (ANVISA). Additionally, we present the technologies used for monoclonal antibody production as a tool for the development of diagnostic tests and applications of these antibodies in detecting ZIKV infections worldwide.

Highlights

Zika virus (ZIKV) is an RNA virus of the Flavivirus genus, Flaviviridae family, that belongs to the arbovirus group, which comprises viruses that share a cycle of transmission via arthropod vectors, most commonly mosquitoes, ticks and flies [1,2]
Other viruses that belong to the Flavivirus genus are some of the most globally relevant viruses in relation to vectorborne diseases, causing worldwide morbidity and mortality, including Dengue virus (DENV) subtypes 1, 2, 3, and 4 and Yellow Fever virus (YFV)
This review aims to present the advantages of monoclonal antibodies as tools for diagnosis, their recent applications in the detection of ZIKV infections and other perspectives regarding ZIKV diagnosis

Summary

Introduction

Zika virus (ZIKV) is an RNA virus of the Flavivirus genus, Flaviviridae family, that belongs to the arbovirus group, which comprises viruses that share a cycle of transmission via arthropod vectors, most commonly mosquitoes, ticks and flies [1,2]. Other viruses that belong to the Flavivirus genus are some of the most globally relevant viruses in relation to vectorborne diseases, causing worldwide morbidity and mortality, including Dengue virus (DENV) subtypes 1, 2, 3, and 4 and Yellow Fever virus (YFV). Since infected individuals generally do not present severe illness, they do not seek medical assistance, though death due to ZIKV is rare [5,6]. For this reason, many people may not realize that they have been infected

Objectives

Methods

Findings

Conclusion