Evaluation of dengue NS1 antigen detection tests with acute sera from patients infected with dengue virus in Venezuela

The performances of 2 commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits (PLATELIA™ Dengue NS1 AG and Dengue Early ELISA) and a rapid immunochromatography test (Dengue NS1 AG Strip) for detection of dengue NS1 protein were compared using a panel of 87 sera from viremic dengue patients, as well as 36 sera from patients with other acute febrile illnesses. PLATELIA™ was more sensitive and slightly less specific than Dengue Early ELISA (sensitivity, 71.3% versus 60.9%; specificity, 86.1% versus 94.3%, respectively). The strip test showed an overall sensitivity of 67.8% with a specificity of 94.4%. A lower sensitivity was observed with Dengue Early ELISA for dengue virus (DENV) type 4 (30%) and by the 3 tests for DENV type 2 (56.5%). The use of these kits allows for rapid and specific early diagnosis of dengue infection; however, their sensitivity for each serotype must be further evaluated to guarantee an accurate diagnosis, particularly in those regions where the 4 dengue serotypes are cocirculating.