Evaluation of a modified Rose Bengal test and an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the diagnosis of Brucella melitensis infection in sheep.
A modified Rose Bengal test (mRB) and an indirect ELISA (iELISA) with Protein G as the conjugate, were evaluated for the diagnosis of Brucella melitensis infection in unvaccinated sheep with a known bacteriological status, and their diagnostic efficacy was compared with that of the standard Rose Bengal (RB) and Complement Fixation (CF) tests used in the current eradication campaign in EU countries. All tests showed 100% specificity when testing the sera from 212 Brucella-free sheep. When testing the sera from 219 Brucella melitensis culture-positive sheep, both the mRB and iELISA tests were more sensitive (98.6% and 96.8%, respectively) than the RB and CF tests (95.0% and 92.7%, respectively). These results were similar when testing the sera from 181 animals belonging to infected flocks but found bacteriologically negative, suggesting that the mRB or iELISA tests could advantageously replace the current RB procedure used as the screening test.
Ferreira
Ana Cristina
AC
Laboratório Nacional de Investigação Veterinária (LNIV), Estrada de Benfica, 701,1549-011 Lisboa, Portugal.
Cardoso
Regina
R
Travassos Dias
Isabel
I
Mariano
Isabel
I
Belo
Ana
A
Rolão Preto
Isabel
I
Manteigas
António
A
Pina Fonseca
António
A
Corrêa De Sá
Maria Inácia
MI
D000818:Animals; D017347:Brucella melitensis / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002006:Brucellosis / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology / Q000662:veterinary*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods*; D012395:Rose Bengal; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D034561:Sheep, Domestic / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*
D012395:Rose Bengal