Table 3

Examples of the role of diagnostics in assessing vaccine immune responses9

Test type	Examples
Antibody tests	ELISA-binding assay: to detect LASV-binding antibodies and cross-reaction between clades (clades I–IV). ELISA-Competition: to define epitope specificity of binding antibodies to LASV GP. Neutralisation assay-LASV GPC: to detect antiviral neutralising antibodies/breadth of response (clades I–IV).
T cell response tests	ELISPOT: to quantify LASV vaccine-induced specific T cell responses or to quantify vector-specific T cell responses. Vectored antigen presentation assay.
Immune profiling	LASV-specific CD4 and CD8 T cells: to perform phenotypic and functional characterisation of T cells; to characterise vector-specific T cell response. Transcriptomics: gene expression profile characterisation of early immune responses and to identify potential effector function correlates.
Antigen tests	ELISA assay: to detect LASV viral protein. RDT: to detect LASV viral protein.
Nucleic acid tests	qRT-PCR: detection of vector RNA.

ELISPOT, enzyme-linked immunospot; GP, glycoprotein; GPC, glycoprotein precursor; LASV, Lassa virus; qRT-PCR, quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR; RDT, rapid diagnostic test.