Pgp3 antibody enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, a sensitive and specific assay for seroepidemiological analysis of Chlamydia trachomatis infection

Clin Vaccine Immunol. 2009 Jun;16(6):835-43. doi: 10.1128/CVI.00021-09. Epub 2009 Apr 8.

Abstract

Understanding of the burden of Chlamydia trachomatis infection and its clinical sequelae is hampered by the absence of accurate, well-characterized tests using serological methods to determine past exposure to infection. An "in-house" immunoglobulin G (IgG) enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) based on the C. trachomatis-specific antigen Pgp3 was produced and evaluated against three commercial ELISAs derived from the major outer membrane protein: the Medac pELISA plus, the Savyon SeroCT-IgG ELISA, and the Ani Labsystems IgG enzyme immunoassay. Sensitivities and specificities were determined using sera from both male and female patients (n = 356) for whom C. trachomatis had been detected in the lower genital tract at least 1 month prior to the testing of the sample and from 722 Chlamydia-negative children aged 2 to 13 years. The Pgp3 ELISA was significantly more sensitive (57.9% [95% confidence interval {95% CI}, 52.7 to 62.9%]) than the Ani Labsystems (49.2% [95% CI, 44.0 to 54.3%]; P = 0.003), SeroCT (47.2% [95% CI, 42.1 to 52.4%]; P < 0.0005), and Medac (44.4% [95% CI, 39.3 to 49.6%]; P < 0.0005) ELISAs. The Pgp3, Ani Labsystems, and SeroCT assays, but not the Medac assay, had significantly higher sensitivity for female specimens than for male specimens (73.8 versus 44.2%, 59.8 versus 40.5%, 55.5 versus 40%, and 45.7 versus 43.7%, respectively). For female patients, the Pgp3 assay was 14.0% (95% CI, 5.5 to 22.5%) more sensitive than the next most sensitive ELISA, the Ani Labsystems assay (P = 0.001). There was no significant difference in specificity between the Pgp3 (97.6% [95% CI, 96.2 to 98.6%]), Ani Labsystems (99% [95% CI, 97.7 to 99.6%]), SeroCT (97.2% [95% CI, 95.7 to 98.2%]), and Medac (96% [95% CI, 94.3 to 97.2%]) ELISAs. None of the ELISAs showed evidence of cross-reactivity with antibodies to Chlamydia pneumoniae.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Evaluation Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Antibodies, Bacterial / blood*
  • Antigens, Bacterial*
  • Bacterial Proteins*
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Chlamydia Infections / diagnosis*
  • Chlamydia trachomatis / immunology*
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / methods
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulin G / blood
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Serologic Tests / methods
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Antibodies, Bacterial
  • Antigens, Bacterial
  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Immunoglobulin G
  • pgp3 protein, Chlamydia