The IFA test assesses antibody response during rabies infection or evaluates the immune response from vaccines. It can be used to establish antibody presence in a sample and distinguish which antibody isotypes are present. Neutralizing antibody assays are the gold standard for rabies antibody detection to assess antibody titer in a person who has received pre or post-exposure prophylaxis.
Although an IFA test may yield different results than a neutralizing antibody assay, it can still provide valuable information when used as an alternative. Typically, assays that measure rabies neutralizing antibodies evaluate immune response. However, these tests take multiple days, requiring virus and live cell culture.
The IFA test allows advanced preparation of antigen slides for testing with results in a few hours compared to days. Using the IFA tests in human rabies cases may lead to more answers about how an individual's immune system responds to rabies infection. There is great variation amongst cases, and this test can provide results in a real-time manner during the disease.
