ELISA assay
ELISA assay is a biomolecular method that uses specific antibodies and sensitive enzymes to identify and quantify a range of molecules, such as proteins, antibodies, peptides, and hormones. Immunoassay services offering solutions such as BA/BE testing, biological assay development, biological assay validation, and pharmacokinetic assays often employ ELISA assays to detect and quantify analytes in biological sample matrices. This sample includes blood, serum, plasma, saliva, cerebrospinal fluid, etc. ELISA assays have four common variants: direct, indirect, sandwich, and competitive ELISA assay.
ELISA assays are considered the gold standard among the scientific community. ELISA assays are incorporated in several tests to diagnose a broad spectrum of diseases and medical conditions, such as viral and bacterial infections and endocrine conditions. Moreover, point-of-care pregnancy tests are ELISA assays that detect a hormone called human chorionic gonadotropin, which is higher in pregnant females. The current article discusses several ELISA assays used to diagnose diseases and medical conditions. However, ELISA development and validation remain critical for generating reliable, accurate, and reproducible results.
Cancer screening and drug testing
Identifying cancer biomarkers during early detection is challenging. It requires continuous research and development. Today, multiple ELISA-based techniques are used clinically to test early cancer stages, such as breast and ovarian cancer.
ELISA assays can determine the concentration of several illicit drugs, such as amphetamines, cannabinoids, methadone, and benzodiazepines, in urine samples. Furthermore, ELISA assays are also used to monitor drug concentration levels in patients undergoing therapeutic intervention, for example, anti-drug antibody treatment in inflammatory bowel disease and rheumatoid arthritis patients.
Detection of antibody platelets
Researchers detect platelet antibodies in study samples to identify individuals suffering from specific disorders such as systemic lupus erythematosus and idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura. These ELISA-based assays use an alkaline phosphatase enzyme that is conjugated with anti-human IgG. In addition to providing a less complex method and less expensive identification of platelet antibodies, ELISA assays have more applications than other commonly employed tests, such as platelet immunofluorescence and lymphocytotoxicity tests.
Detecting viruses
The primary benefit of ELISA testing in virus detection is that it can be readily deployed in countries with high infection rates and reach patients in the most vulnerable areas with on-site diagnostic capabilities. Following are some ELISA assays used in viral infectious studies.
HIV
ELISA assay was the first testing kit for HIV infection universally. This method detects human serum cystatin C to determine positive patients.
Newcastle disease virus (NDV)
NDV is an avian-origin virus that can be passed to humans. Depending on the strain type, disease severity can vary from diarrhea to moderate respiratory dysfunction and other life-threatening outcomes. ELISA assays can detect and monitor all strains of NDV virus within a population, help coordinate vaccine programs, and identify infected NDV patients.
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West Nile virus
West Nile virus is detected using IgM antibody capture ELISA assay using cerebrospinal fluid or serum. Ideally, samples are taken after 8 to 21 days of symptom presentation. Most importantly, this ELISA method can confirm the progression of infection to the central nervous system.
In conclusion, ELISA assays are a robust, accurate, and reliable tool to diagnose several conditions and diseases, making them a gold standard in biomedical and clinical applications.
