Patent ID: 7105311

Claim:
A method for detecting an antimicrobial antibody in a sample, comprising: providing a first component comprising biotin linked, through polyethylene glycol, to albumin; providing a second component comprising a biotin-binding moiety conjugated to a microbial antigen or hapten that binds the antibody to be detected in the sample; providing a third component comprising the microbial antigen or hapten conjugated to a label; contacting the sample suspected of comprising the antibody with the second and third components such that a first mixture is formed comprising a triple immune complex in which the antibody, if present in the sample, binds to the antigen or hapten moiety of each of the second and third components; contacting the first mixture with the first component, whereby the biotin of the first component binds to the biotin-binding moiety of the second component, such that a second mixture is formed comprising a triple immune complex bound to the first component; contacting the second mixture with a solid phase so as to immobilize the triple immune complex; separating the mixture comprising uncomplexed components from the solid phase; and detecting whether the label is associated with the solid phase, wherein the detection of the label indicates the presence of the triple immune complex in the mixture and therefore of the antimicrobial antibody in the sample.