West Nile Virus 2002 Laboratory Perspectives Laboratories Branch MOHLTC Pauline George
Overview Test procedures WNV Statistics Laboratory Challenges
Principle of HI Test Viral Antigen + Goose RBCs = Agglutination Serum (Abs) + VAg + GRBCs = No Agglut/Reactive Serum ( no Abs) + VAg + GRBCs = Agglut/Nonreactive
Test Procedures-Single Serum HI Test Process Day 1 Extraction Day 2 Absorption Day 2Test Screen/Titrate Day 3 Add RBCs Day 3 Read
Confirmatory Test Winnipeg Federal Lab 2 week TAT Plaque Reduction Neutralization test Testing on paired serum against likely viruses Presence/absence neutralizing antibody PCR Tissue/CSF
WNV Tests
WNV Tests May - Oct
Confirmed West Nile Human Cases - Ontario (to Nov 4, 2002)
Probable* West Nile Human Cases - Ontario (to Nov 4, 2002)
WVN Cases Summary (to Nov 4, 2002) Confirmed * (PRNT) 49 Did not confirm *(PRNT) 9 Probable * (HI) 89 Suspect ^176 * seroconversion ^ seropositive
Laboratory Challenges 2002 Substantially increased test volumes Staffing resources Reagent Availability Equipment Antigenic Variation Increased incoming/outgoing telephone calls Other routine tests Training TDG Space Allocation
Future Challenges 2002 and Beyond Funding Staffing In-house tests vs Commercial Tests Availability? Case criteria Data Analysis Training Confirmatory Test Availability Antigen consistency Antigen source/cost?
Future Challenges 2002 and Beyond cont’d For confirmatory testing in Ontario Requires Level 3 Biosafety lab PRNT confirmatory assay PCR Culture
Acknowledgements OPHL Arboviruses & Rickettsiae Laboratory Staff Dr. M. Fearon, I Guglielmi, E Cheung, Canadian Science Centre for Human & Animal Health, Winnipeg Viral Zoonotic Staff Dr. M. Drebot