title: Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for Brucella ovis specific antibody in ram sera.
abstract: An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the detection of Brucella ovis specific antibody in ram serum was compared with the currently employed complement fixation test (CFT). Rabbit anti-sheep IgG coupled to horseradish peroxidase was used as the antibody-enzyme conjugate and 2,2'-azino-di[3-ethylbenzthiazolin sulphonate (6)] as the substrate. The ratio of the optical density at 414 nm for positive and negative control sera (P/N ratio) was used to optimise the parameters of the test. Ram serum samples (16,527) were tested using ELISA and CFT (warm and cold) over a one year period. The ELISA was more sensitive and provided a more reliable measure of B ovis specific antibody than did the CFT. Implications of employing ELISA as the sole test in an eradication scheme are discussed.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis*; D002002:Brucella / Q000276:immunology*; D002006:Brucellosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary; D003168:Complement Fixation Tests / Q000662:veterinary; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008297:Male; D012756:Sheep / Q000276:immunology*; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial