title: Sources of variation in an enzyme-linked immunoassay of bluetongue virus in Culicoides variipennis (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae).
abstract: An enzyme-linked immunoassay for detecting bluetongue virus in infected Culicoides variipennis was evaluated using a nested analysis of variance to determine sources of experimental error in the procedure. The major source of variation was differences among individual insects (84% of the total variance). Storing insects at -70 degrees C for two months contributed to experimental variation in the ELISA reading (14% of the total variance) and should be avoided. Replicate assays of individual insects were shown to be unnecessary, since variation among replicate wells and plates was minor (2% of the total variance).
authors.affiliation: Arthropod-Borne Animal Diseases Research Laboratory, USDA-ARS, Laramie, Wyoming 82071.
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Tabachnick
authors.forename: J O
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Mecham
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D001820:Bluetongue virus / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002519:Ceratopogonidae / Q000382:microbiology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000592:standards*; D007303:Insect Vectors / Q000382:microbiology*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests
chemical_list: D000956:Antigens, Viral