Kinetic ELISA for detection of antibodies to Psoroptes sp. (Acari: Psoroptidae) in bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis).
A kinetic enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed using antigenic extracts prepared from Psoroptes cuniculi mites and sera from 37 Psoroptes sp.-infested and 43 uninfested bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis). Serial dilutions of these serum samples, representing 3 bighorn sheep subspecies and 9 geographic areas, gave parallel responses when plotted as log dilution versus log kinetic rate. Therefore, all 80 samples were run at a single dilution (1:100) and positive/negative cutoff values were established as the mean kinetic rate of all negative sera plus either 2, 3, or 4 standard deviations. The resulting ELISA was highly reproducible and accurate with sensitivities and specificities of 100% and 97.7%, 94.6% and 97.7%, and 94.6% and 100%, respectively. This immunoassay will be useful for prospective and retrospective studies assessing the distribution and prevalence of Psoroptes sp. infestations in bighorn sheep.
Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, Davis 95616.
W M
WM
Boyce
J A
JA
Mazet
J
J
Mellies
I
I
Gardner
R K
RK
Clark
D A
DA
Jessup
D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D007700:Kinetics; D008924:Mite Infestations / Q000276:immunology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008925:Mites / Q000276:immunology*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012418:Ruminants / Q000469:parasitology*
D000906:Antibodies