Assays and methods for the diagnosis of post-streptococcal disorders

Abstract

Provided are methods for diagnosing a disease in a subject with a previous streptococcal infection by determining the presence or absence of one or more autoantibodies in a biological sample from the subject, wherein the one or more autoantibodies recognize an antigen from a protein selected from the group consisting of ELAVL2, ELAVL3, ELAVL4, Nova-1, Nova-2, Cdr1, Cdr2; and Cdr3. The presence of such autoantibodies is indicative of a positive diagnosis for a post-streptococcal disease such as PANDAS, post-GABHS glomerulonephritis, rheumatic fever, autism and Syndenham's chorea.

That which is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for diagnosing a disease in a subject, said method comprising,
 (a) determining the presence or absence of one or more autoantibodies in a biological sample from the subject with a previous Streptococcal infection, wherein the one or more autoantibodies recognize an antigen from a protein selected from the group consisting of ELAVL2, ELAVL3, ELAVL4, Nova-1, Nova-2, Cdr1, Cdr2, and Cdr3 and   (b) identifying the subject as
 (i) having a disease selected from the group consisting of PANDAS, post-GABHS glomerulonephritis, rheumatic fever, autism and Syndenham's chorea, when the presence of one or more antibodies is detected, or 
 (ii) not having one of said diseases caused by the Streptococcal infection when each of said antibodies is absent. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the one or more autoantibodies is selected from the group consisting of anti-Hu, anti-Ri and anti-Yo. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the protein is selected from the group consisting of Nova-1 and Nova-2. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the protein is selected from the group consisting of Cdr1, Cdr2, and Cdr3. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the disease is PANDAS. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the subject is a human. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the subject is a pediatric subject. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the biological sample is selected from the group consisting of blood, serum, and plasma.