title: Use of western immunoblot analysis for testing moose serum for Brucella suis biovar 4 specific antibodies.
abstract: To determine if 12 moose (Alces alces) from northern Alaska with agglutinating antibodies specific for Brucella spp. had been exposed to either B. suis biovar 4 or B. abortus biovar 1, western immnnoblot serologic analysis was performed. Differential serologic responses to strain specific A and M antigenic variances of the lipopolysaccharide O-polysaccharide sugar allowed strain identification. Prior to examination, test sera were absorbed with killed whole cells from either B. abortus biovar 1, containing predominately A antigen (A+ M-); B. melitensis biovar 1, containing essentially M antigen (A- M+); or B. suis biovar 4, containing both antigenic tyes (A+ M+). The resulting sera were then examined by western immunoblot for recognition of either B. abortus biovar 1, B. melitensis biovar 1, or B. suis biovar 4 cell lysates. The results of this study indicate that these moose were exposed to B. suis biovar 4, a known pathogen of caribou (Rangifer tarandus) from arctic Alaska.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Parasitology, Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine, Baton Rouge 70803, USA.
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Edmonds
authors.forename: F M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Ward
authors.forename: T M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: O'Hara
authors.forename: P H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Elzer
mesh_terms: D000372:Agglutination Tests / Q000662:veterinary; D000413:Alaska / Q000453:epidemiology; D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D015153:Blotting, Western / Q000662:veterinary*; D002002:Brucella / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology*; D002006:Brucellosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D003670:Deer; D000939:Epitopes / Q000276:immunology; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D000939:Epitopes; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides