Persistence of Virus-Reactive Serum Immunoglobulin M Antibody in Confirmed West Nile Virus Encephalitis Cases

Authors

John T. Roehrig, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Denis Nash, CUNY School of Public HealthFollow
Beth Maldin, NYC Department of Health
Anne Labowitz, NYC Department of Health
Denise A. Martin, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Robert S. Lanciotti, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Grant L. Campbell, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

3-9-2003

Abstract

Twenty-nine laboratory-confirmed West Nile virus (WNV) encephalitis patients were bled serially so that WNV-reactive immunoglobulin (Ig) M activity could be determined. Of those patients bled, 7 (60%) of 12 had anti-WNV IgM at approximately 500 days after onset. Clinicians should be cautious when interpreting serologic results from early season WNV IgM-positive patients.

Comments

DOI: 10.3201/eid0903.020531