Background: Numerous immunological approaches exist to diagnose dengue or detect dengue virus (DENV) infections.
Objectives: To determine the best immunological markers and specimen types for dengue diagnosis and for measuring incidence of DENV infection in community-based studies.
Study design: In one study, acute- and convalescent-phase samples were collected from hospitalized suspected pediatric dengue cases in Managua, Nicaragua, from September 2003 to February 2004. A second study examined specimens collected in a community setting in Managua before and after the 2003-2004 dengue season to measure incidence of DENV infection. In both studies, detection of anti-DENV IgM, IgA, and IgG in serum, filter-paper blood spots, and saliva was compared to a gold standard performed on serum samples.
Results: For dengue diagnosis, the highest sensitivity and specificity was obtained by measuring IgM or IgA in serum or filter-paper blood spots; intermediate and poor results were obtained in saliva for IgM and IgA, respectively. Detection of IgG alone in serum, filter-paper blood spots, or saliva functioned best for measuring DENV infection.
Conclusions: Detection of IgM and IgA in serum and filter-paper blood spots yielded optimal results for diagnosis of dengue cases, whereas IgG was the best marker for measuring incidence of DENV infection.