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Epidemiology and Infection logoLink to Epidemiology and Infection
. 1997 Apr;118(2):189–191. doi: 10.1017/s0950268896007297

Detection of antibodies against hepatitis A in blood spots dried on filter paper. Is this a reliable method for epidemiological studies?

A Gil 1, A González 1, R Dal-Ré 1, V Dominguez 1, P Astasio 1, L Aguilar 1
PMCID: PMC2808775  PMID: 9129596

Abstract

Diluted dried blood drops on filter paper were compared with serum samples as a specimen source for qualitative anti-HAV antibody determination by ELISA. A total of 298 serum samples and dried blood drops were collected from a population of healthy adolescents (15.3 +/- 1.2 years old). The prevalence of anti-HAV antibody obtained by testing serum samples was 7.7% (95% CI:4.8 10.1). Compared with serum sampling the sensitivity and specificity of diluted dried blood drops were 91.3 and 99.3%. The positive and negative predictive values were 91.3 and 99.3%, respectively, and the likelihood ratios of positive and negative results were 91 and 0.09. It is proposed that this test represents a reliable procedure for anti-HAV antibody testing.

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