Immunoassays are crucial in epidemiological studies for various purposes:
1. Disease Surveillance: Immunoassays help in detecting the presence of specific antibodies or antigens in populations, allowing for the monitoring of disease outbreaks and trends. 2. Vaccine Efficacy: They are used to evaluate the effectiveness of vaccines by measuring the immune response in vaccinated individuals. 3. Exposure Assessment: Immunoassays can determine exposure to environmental toxins or infectious agents by identifying specific biomarkers in biological samples. 4. Clinical Diagnosis: These tests assist in diagnosing diseases by detecting the presence of pathogens or the host’s immune response to them.
