An antibody panel for highly specific detection and differentiation of Zika virus

Zika virus (ZIKV) is an emerging flavivirus transmitted to humans by Aedes mosquitos. ZIKV can be transmitted from mother to fetus during pregnancy and can cause microcephaly and other birth defects. Effective vaccines for Zika are yet to be approved. Detection of the ZIKV is based on serological testing that often shows cross-reactivity with the Dengue virus (DENV) and other flaviviruses. We aimed to assemble a highly specific anti-Zika antibody panel to be utilized in the development of a highly specific and cost-effective ZIKV rapid quantification assay for viral load monitoring at point-of-care settings. To this end, we tested the affinity and specificity of twenty one commercially available monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies against ZIKV and DENV envelope proteins utilizing nine ZIKV and twelve DENV strains. We finalized and tested a panel of five antibodies for the specific detection and differentiation of ZIKV and DENV infected samples.