Evaluation of dengue NS1 test kits for the diagnosis of dengue fever

Detection of the dengue NS1 antigen during the symptomatic phase of illness represents an important advance in the diagnosis of dengue fever. The sensitivity of 2 commercial kits was evaluated in a panel of 91 serum samples collected at defined intervals after onset of symptomatic dengue fever. The sensitivity of the Bio-Rad Platelia™ (Bio-Rad Laboratories, Marnes-La-Coquette, France) dengue NS1 assay was 73.6% (95% confidence interval [CI], 63.7–81.6). The Panbio Early ELISA (Panbio Diagnostics, Brisbane, Australia) had a sensitivity of 63.7% (95% CI, 53.5–72.9). Four samples were equivocal in the Panbio assay. The sensitivity of both assays was highest on the 2nd to 4th day after illness onset and in primary dengue infections. Both assays will be useful for the detection of dengue viral infections early in the course of the infection, especially in nonendemic countries.