ELISA is a common laboratory testing technique that detects and counts certain antibodies, antigens, proteins and hormones in bodily fluid samples. This includes blood, plasma, pee, saliva (spit) and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). “ELISA” stands for “enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.”
Several medical tests involve the use of the ELISA technique. But it’s important to note that your laboratory test results won’t say “ELISA test.” This is because ELISA is a laboratory technique, and there are countless variations of the tests that use it.
One common use of the ELISA technique is to detect and measure antibodies, including:
Antibodies against bacterial, viral or fungal infections: Examples of bacterial infections include Lyme disease, brucellosis and syphilis. Examples of viral infections include HIV and hepatitis A, B and C. An example of a fungal infection is a yeast infection (candida).
Autoantibodies: These are antibodies your immune system uses to destroy your own cells. Many autoimmune diseases result from autoantibody attacks. Type 1 diabetes is an example of this. Your body sends out autoantibodies to destroy the insulin-producing cells in your pancreas for unknown reasons.
Other common uses of ELISA include:
Detecting and estimating hormone levels, like human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and testosterone.
Tracking disease outbreaks in communities, like chlamydia or influenza (the flu) outbreaks.
Screening blood donations for possible viral components, like HIV.
Detecting nonmedical drug use, like the presence of amphetamines or cocaine in your body. These are only screening tests.
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