Measles Virus IgM
Enzyme ImmunoAssay (ELISA) for the qualitative determination of IgM antibodies to Measles Virus in human plasma and sera. The product is intended mostly for the identification of the pathogen in patients undergoing an exanthematic infection.
Measles, also known as rubeola, is a disease caused by a virus, specifically a paramyxovirus of the genus Morbillivirus.
Measles is spread through respiration and is highly contagious. 90% of people without immunity sharing a house with an infected person will catch it. Airborne precautions should be taken for all suspected cases of measles.
The incubation period usually lasts for 4–12 days during which there are no symptoms. Infected people remain contagious from the appearance of the first symptoms until 3–5 days after the rash appears.
In roughly the last 150 years, measles has been estimated to have killed about 200 million people worldwide.
The introduction of vaccination for Measles has radically reduced the infection among children and correlated adults.
In the last years, the introduction of ELISA kits for IgM antibodies has made possible to identify the pathogen affecting the patient in an early stage of infection.
Microplates are coated with Measles Virus native antigens derived from tissue culture of a virulent strain.
In the 1st incubation, the solid phase is treated with diluted samples and anti Measles Virus IgM are captured, if present, by the antigens.
After washing out all the other components of the sample, in the 2nd incubation bound anti Measles Virus IgM are detected by the addition of anti hIgM antibody, labeled with peroxidase (HRP). The enzyme captured on the solid phase, acting on the substrate/chromogen mixture, generates an optical signal that is proportional to the amount of anti Measles Virus IgM antibodies present in the sample.
Neutralization of IgG anti-measles, carried out directly in the well, is performed in the assay in order to block interferences due to this class of antibodies in the determination of IgM.
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