Diagnosis of babesiosis: evaluation of a serologic test for the detection of Babesia microti antibody
Abstract
To assess the possibility of standardization of a commonly used indirect immunofluorescent antibody (IFA) test for detection of Babesia microti antibody in human sera, the results from four reference laboratories were compared. Patients with babesiosis from southern New England (n = 25) and subjects with no history of babesiosis from southern New England (n = 55) and Iceland (n = 50) were enrolled in the study. Anti-Babesia antibody titers were determined in a blinded fashion by IFA test. The range of test results in the four laboratories was 88%-96% sensitivity, 90%-100% specificity, 69%-100% positive predictive value, and 96%-99% negative predictive value. Interlaboratory and intralaboratory concordance ranged from 84% to 85% and 94% to 100%, respectively. This B. microti IFA procedure is a sensitive, specific, and reproducible method for diagnosing babesiosis and is suitable for use as a standard in laboratories testing human sera for B. microti antibody.
Key Biomarkers
Cited By (6)
- Immunoserologic evidence of coinfection with Borrelia burgdorferi, Babesia microti, and human granulocytic Ehrlichia species in residents of Wisconsin and MinnesotaJournal of Clinical Microbiology · 1996
- Coinfecting deer-associated zoonoses: lyme disease, babesiosis and ehrlichiosisClinical Infectious Diseases · 2001
- Coexposure to Borrelia burgdorferi and Babesia microti does not worsen the long-term outcome of Lyme diseaseClinical Infectious Diseases · 2000
- Human babesiosis: an emerging tick-borne diseaseInternational Journal for Parasitology · 2000
- Klempner MS Babesiosis in patients with AID: a chronic infection presenting as fever of unknown originClin Infect Dis · 1996
- Successful prevention and treatment of babesiosis with atovaquoneThe Journal of Infectious Diseases · 1995
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