NS1 ELISA Proves Most Reliable for Dengue Detection

A study has found that the 'NS1 ELISA' test is comparatively more reliable for detecting dengue, a disease spread by the Aedes mosquito. Experts have also noted that the test is not overly expensive. The findings were shared at an event held at the National Institute of Laboratory Medicine and Referral Center (NILMRC) in Dhaka on December 3. During the event, researchers, public health experts, microbiologists, and government officials discussed various tests for dengue detection and their effectiveness.

Professor Mohammad Shahed Ali Jinnah, Director of NILMRC, Dr. Tarek Mahbub Khan from Sir Salimullah Medical College, Dr. Abdullah Yusuf from the National Institute of Neurosciences and Hospital, and Mohammad Harun-ar-Rashid from the Health Department also spoke at the event. Dr. Aminur Rahman, a scientist from the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR, B), emphasized the importance of considering the applicability of any test in public health.

Arifa Akram, head of the Virology Department at NILMRC, presented a comparison of three commonly used tests in the country: NS1 ICT, NS1 ELISA, and RT-PCR. She explained that 200 samples from 500 stored patient cases were used in the research, showing that NS1 ELISA provided better results for detecting dengue.

She further explained that while the cost of the NS1 ICT test is just 50 BDT, it often produces a high number of false negatives, meaning dengue cases are missed. In contrast, the RT-PCR test is highly reliable but costs around 3,500 BDT per test. On the other hand, the NS1 ELISA test, with a cost of around 400 BDT, proved accurate in detecting dengue.

The event also highlighted the widespread use of NS1 ICT in the country, known for delivering quick results but prone to false negatives. Public health experts, including former Chief Scientific Officer of the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research, Mohammad Mushtaq Hossain, urged the government to provide NS1 ELISA testing across all areas of the country, subsidizing the cost, as the financial loss due to untreated dengue cases and deaths would outweigh the expense of the test.

Participants suggested that the study should be conducted on a larger scale for more comprehensive results.