SPECIFIC ENZYME IMMUNOASSAYS FOR THE RAPID DETECTION OF ROSS-RIVER-VIRUS IN CELL-CULTURES INOCULATED WITH INFECTED MOSQUITO HOMOGENATES

Background: Ross River (RR) virus is a mosquito-borne alphavirus and one of the aetiological agents of epidemic polyarthritis in humans. Early detection of increased virus activity in mosquito populations enables public health authorities to implement measures to reduce the number of human infections during epidemics. However, current surveillance techniques require a minimum of four weeks for viruses to be isolated and identified. Objectives: This study was carried out to assess the use of enzyme immunoassays (EIA) as rapid alternatives to traditional cell culture techniques for detection of RR virus in mosquitoes. Study design: Enzyme immunoassays and immunoperoxidase assays were developed using RR-specific monoclonal antibodies and compared to traditional methods for detection of RR virus in held-caught mosquito samples. Results: By inoculation of C6/36 cell cultures with mosquito homogenates and testing monolayers and culture supernatant by EIA, RR virus was detected and identified in all infected samples within 6 days. Conclusions: The use of EIA provides a rapid, sensitive and specific alternative to traditional methods for the detection of RR virus in mosquito vectors.