Background
Antibodies to neuraminidase (NA) contribute to protection during influenza virus infection, but NA inhibition (NI) titers are not routinely analyzed in vaccine trials. One reason is the cumbersome nature of the conventional thiobarbituric acid (TBA) NI assay, which uses chemical
Conclusions
The reagents and miniaturized format of the TBA method described here provide a platform for practical serological monitoring of functional antibodies against NA.
Results
Analysis of ferret antisera by the miniaturized assay demonstrated sensitivity and specificity comparable with the conventional assay. Similar increases in the NI titers in sera from vaccinated human volunteers were measured in miniaturized and conventional assays. Inactivated and live-attenuated vaccines increased NI titers against a given subtype at approximately the same rate. Conclusions: The reagents and miniaturized format of the TBA method described here provide a platform for practical serological monitoring of functional antibodies against NA.