User:Marvin O'Neal/VlsE: Difference between revisions

Throughout the course of the disease IR₆ produces a strong antibody response that can be identified from early to late phases, and which lasts for months to years following treatment.  Applications in diagnostic testing have been identified as a result of this strong immune response and IR₆’s relative invariability across strains <ref name="I">PMID:10565920</ref> <ref name="F" />.  A C₆ ELISA test has been developed which uses a 26-mer synthetic peptide with the IR₆ sequence.  Results show 99% specificity and 100% precision with high sensitivity.  In fact, OspA vaccination does not influence C6 specificity; therefore, C₆ ELISA tests are valuable diagnostic tools <ref name="I" />.  The [http://www.cdc.gov/lyme/healthcare/clinician_twotier.html CDC]  currently recommends a two-step test incorporating first a polyvalent, whole-cell sonicate (WCS) immunofluorescent assay.  If results are positive, this is followed by IgG and IgM WCS Western blots to eliminate false positives <ref name="J">PMID:21865190</ref>.  Therefore, this one-step ELISA test presents an accurate and economical alternative to the current two-step model <ref name="I" />. <br>