Resumen

ARANGUREN, Francis; OBANDO, César; PEREZ, Nelson  y  HIDALGO, Mayra. Efficacy of the Indirect Immunofluorescent Test for Early Detection of Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis Virus in Suckling Mice Brain Tissuetc "Efficacy of the Indirect Immunofluorescent Test for Early Detection of Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis Virus in Suckling Mice Brain Tissue". Rev. Fac. Cienc. Vet. [online]. 2006, vol.47, n.1, pp.51-57. ISSN 0258-6576.

The aim of this study was to standardize and evaluate the efficacy of the indirect immunofluorescent technique (IIFT) for early detection of Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis Virus (VEEV) antigen in the brain of suckling mice, using the Complement Fixation Test (CFT) as a comparison. Viral antigen TC-83 was detected at 10, 12 and 26 hours post-inoculation (hpi), for P-676, Lara-95 and TC-83 strains, respectively. The sensitivity of IIFT for Lara-95 strain, was 89% at 24 hpi (non symptomatic period), when compared to 32% for CFT, indicating that the low concentration of viral antigen during the early phases of the disease, can be detected with IIFT. The sensitivity of both techniques compared to the biological assay was 86% and 29% for IIFT and CFT, respectively. At 36 hpi in mice with  evident symptomatology, the sensitivity and specificity of both test was 100%. These results indicate that the IIFT is a valid and efficient test to evaluate out breaks of Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis, in order to contributing to epidemiological surveillance of the disease.

Palabras clave : Virus; Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis; immunofluorescence; laboratory diagnosis.