Аннотация:A commercially available, rapid ELISA, performed routinely in a busy hospital serology laboratory, produced results comparable with those obtained by FAMA, though FAMA appeared more sensitive.Only one false-positive result was obtained with the ELISA, a result that is important because of the potential risk in reporting patients, especially pregnant women and immunocompromised hosts, as immune to varicella when they are not.Because false-negative results occasionally occurred, specimens testing negative by this ELISA should be confirmed by FAMA.This ELISA should be useful in screening adults, especially those who are hospital employees or potential varicella vaccinees, for immunity to varicella.Though there was good agreement between the two tests for the small number of specimens from children tested, more experience is needed before this test can be recommended for determining immunity in children.
