Immunofluorescence method for detection of Ebola virus immunoglobulin G, using HeLa cells which express recombinant nucleoprotein

A novel recombinant baculovirus which expresses Ebola virus (EBO) nucleoprotein (NP) under the control of the cytomegalovirus immediate-early promoter was constructed. HeLa cells abortively infected with the baculovirus expressed EBO NP, and this was used as an immunofluorescent (IF) antigen to detect EBO immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody. This IF method has high efficacy in detecting EBO IgG antibody in clinical specimens, indicating its usefulness in the diagnosis of EBO infections and seroepidemiological studies.