ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Evaluation of two commercial immunoenzymatic techniques (ELISA) for detection of anti-EBNA-1 IgG and IgM for diagnosis of Epstein-Barr virus mononucleosis. METHODS: Study of anti-EBNA-1 IgG and IgM in infectious mononucleosis and they have been compared with the detection of IgM antibodies to VCA by indirect immunofluorescence as the reference method. RESULTS: The sensitivity of the assay was 87.5%, the specificity was 89.4%, the positive predictive value was 91.4% and the negative predictive value was 85%. CONCLUSIONS: This technique can be useful in laboratories without the necessary equipment and experienced personnel for indirect immunofluorescence. It also can be used as a complementary determination to the anti-VCA IgM in the long lasting infectious mononucleosis, when this marker is negative.
