title: Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for detection of specific antibodies to Ureaplasma urealyticum serotypes.
abstract: Optimal conditions of a micro-enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay system for the detection of immunoglobulin G antibodies to Ureaplasma urealyticum were established with rabbit antisera. Initially, the antisera, raised against eight U. urealyticum serotypes grown on medium containing horse serum, displayed nonspecific reactions with our enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay antigens. Substitution of fetal bovine serum in the medium eliminated this nonspecificity. The assay was then serotype-specific for the original eight U. urealyticum serotypes. The prominent homologous reaction was easily differentiated from the heterologous reactions. A one-way cross-reaction was observed with serotype 2 antiserum and serotype 5 antigen. The results were reproducible and could be obtained in 4 h with only 10 microliters of serum for eight serotypes. Optimal antigen concentrations for the U. urealyticum serotypes ranged from 0.40 to 1.60 micrograms/ml. Our results indicated that enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay has the potential for the detection of antibodies to specific serotypes of U. urealyticum.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis*; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology; D003429:Cross Reactions; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D000939:Epitopes; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D011817:Rabbits; D012703:Serotyping; D012995:Solubility; D014509:Ureaplasma / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D000939:Epitopes