Comparison of 3 Automated Immunoassays for Detection of Anti-Hepatitis A Virus Immunoglobulin M in a Tertiary Care Hospital

Three automated immunoassay kits for anti-Hepatitis A Virus (HAV) IgM−Architect, (Abbott Laboratories, USA), Elecsys (Roche Diagnostics, Germany), and ADVIA Centaur (Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics Inc., USA)−were compared. We included 178 consecutive samples, for which an anti-HAV IgM test was requested at Seoul National University Hospital from September 2009 to January 2010. Reviewing of medical records, reverse transcription (RT)-PCR for HAV RNA, or total anti-HAV assay were performed on 16 (9.0%)samples with discrepant results. The percent agreements (kappas) of the Architect and ADVIA Centaur, Architect and Elecsys, and ADVIA Centaur and Elecsys kits were 96.6%(0.91), 96.6% (0.92), and 97.8% (0.94), respectively. Eight out of 16 discrepant samples showed gray-zone values in Architect but were nonreactive in the others. Slightly earlier seroconversion was suspected in Elecsys. The 3 assays showed comparable performances with excellent agreements in a tertiary care hospital setting.