Published online by Cambridge University Press: 15 May 2009
A μ-capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for detecting chlamydia-specific IgM was developed by use of the heat stable, lipopolysaccharide group-specific antigen and an alkaline phosphatase-labelled anti-chlamydia group-specific monoclonal antibody conjugate. The test was used to study the serological response in chlamydial respiratory tract infection among patients with acute respiratory tract symptoms in Cambridgeshire during the past 7 years. Results were compared with those of the complement fixation test (CFT) in routine use as well as those of a whole inclusion indirect immunofluorescence (WIF) test for IgM. Correlation between results of the μ-capture ELISA and those of the WIF test was 87·5%.