Components

Blend of Coxsackievirus B Monoclonal Antibodies - (Catalog No. 3303).One dropper vial containing 2 ml, sufficient for 25 tests, ready to use, mouse monoclonal antibodies against the coxsackie B viruses, protein stabilizer and 0.1 % sodium azide (preservative). (anti-B4 is a subclass IgG2b and the others are IgG2a.)

Disclaimer

For in vitro Diagnostic UseCE Mark

General description

Diagnostics Kit

Light Diagnostics group specific monoclonal antibodies against coxsackie B viruses are intended for use in indirect fluorescence screening for the presumptive identification of coxsackie B1, B2, B3, B4, B5, and B6 viruses obtained in cell culture and not intended for testing directly on human specimens.

Test Principle:

Light Diagnostics Blend of Coxsackie B Viral Monoclonal Antibodies (MAb Cox B Blend) can be used to identify coxsackie B viral isolates in cell culture using an indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA). The monoclonal antibodies provided will bind to the group specific enterovirus isolates present on the cell culture slide. Unbound monoclonal antibody is removed by rinsing with phosphate-buffered saline (PBS). A secondary FITC (fluorescein isothiocyanate)-labeled antibody is then added which will bind to the antigen-antibody complex. Unbound secondary antibody is removed by rinsing with PBS. FITC exhibits an apple green fluorescence when illuminated by ultraviolet light allowing visualization of the complex by microscopy. A positive result is indicated by cell fluorescence. Non-infected cells stain a dull red if Evans blue counterstain is used in the FITC-labeled secondary antibody or used elsewhere in the procedure .

Background and Clinical Significance:

Enteroviruses are classified to be in the picornavirus family, pico [small] + RNA [ribonucleic acid] + virus. Picornaviruses are among the smallest and simplest ribonucleic acid containing viruses known [1]. The RNA for many enteroviruses have now been cloned and complete genomic sequences have been obtained. The RNA from all sequenced enteroviruses are similar in length, about 7400 nucleotides, and have identical organization [1].

The human alimentary tract is the predominant site of enterovirus replication and these viruses were first isolated from enteric specimens. These viruses are the cause of paralytic poliomyelitis, aseptic meningitis-encephalitis, myocarditis, pleurodynia, hand-foot-and-mouth disease, conjunctivitis, and numerous other syndromes associated with extra-intestinal target organs. There are 67 numbered types of enteroviruses in the enteroviruses family [1]: polioviruses (3), coxsackieviruses A (23), coxsackieviruses B (6), echoviruses (31), and other enteroviruses (4)

Enteroviruses, including echoviruses and coxsackieviruses, have been reported as the major etiologic agents of aseptic meningitis [2]. Clinical syndromes associated with infections by each type of enterovirus have also been reported [3]. Coxsackie B viruses can cause pleurodynia, infrequently paralysis, aseptic meningitis, severe systemic infection in infants, meningoencephalitis, pericarditis, myocarditis, upper respiratory illness, pneumonia, rash, hepatitis, and undifferentiated febrile illness.

Establishing an association between an enterovirus and a particular disease in a patient requires laboratory confirmation of infection, usually by either isolation of the virus, or documentation of a specific serologic response in a properly timed specimen. Detailed descriptions of principals and procedures for diagnosis of enterovirus infections have been published [4-7]. Cell culture techniques have made the accurate detection of enteroviruses possible [8-10]. The identification of the enterovirus isolates will help prevention, treatment and understanding of the infectious diseases, and even discovery of new virus isolates. The typing of enterovirus isolates is generally accomplished by neutralization with type specific pools of immune sera [11]. This method is time consuming (7 days or more) and expensive. As an alternative, typing of enteroviruses with type specific monoclonal antibody and/or group specific monoclonal antibody pool(s) by the indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) is potentially more rapid and less expensive [12 - 18].

Legal Information

CHEMICON is a registered trademark of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany

Physical form

Format: Purified

Storage and Stability

When stored at 2-8*C, the monoclonal antibody is stable up to the expiration date printed on the label. Avoid multiple freeze and thaw.

Warning and Precautions:

*For in vitro diagnostic use.

* The performance of Light Diagnostics coxsackievirus B Blend has not been determined on direct specimens.

* Sodium azide, present in the reagents, can form potentially explosive metal azides with lead and copper pipes. As a precaution, flush with large amount of water to prevent azide build-up.

* Do not allow the slides to dry at any time during the staining procedure

* Slides prepared too early (﹤25% CPE) or too late (>95% CPE) can be difficult to read and can lead to false negatives.

* Handle all specimens and materials coming in contact with them as potentially infectious materials. All samples should be handled at the Biosafety Level 2 as recommended for any potentially infectious material in the Center for Disease Control/National Institute of Health Manual, "Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories," (1984). Decontaminate with 0.05% sodium hypochlorite.

* Avoid contact with Evans blue if present in any reagent as it is a potential carcinogen. If skin contact occurs, flush with large volumes of water.

* Do not mouth pipette reagents.