A comparison of serologic tests for the detection of serum antibodies to whole-cell and recombinant Borrelia burgdorferi antigens in cattle.
Serum samples from healthy dairy and beef cattle, living in tick-infested areas of Connecticut, USA, were analyzed by polyvalent enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA), indirect fluorescent antibody (IFA) staining methods, or Western blot procedures to detect antibodies to tick-borne agents. Of the 80 sera tested by ELISA with whole-cell or 10 separate recombinant antigens (fusion proteins) of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto, 57 (71%) were positive to 1 or more antigens, while 36 (45%) reacted to whole-cell antigens by IFA staining methods. Three (4%) of 80 samples had antibodies to Anaplasma phagocytophilum. There were antibodies to outer surface protein (Osp) A, OspB, OspC, OspE, OspF, protein (p) 41-G, p35, p37, and VlsE antigens of B. burgdorferi, but there was no reactivity to the p39 antigen by ELISA. Western immunoblots of a subset of 9 sera verified antibody presence in all samples and showed distinct reactivities to multiple proteins having molecular masses of about 31 kilodaltons (kDa), 34 kDa, 35 kDa, 41 kDa, and 83/93 kDa. High specificity (97%) was noted when 16 cattle sera containing antibodies to Leptospira interrogans serovars, Brucella sp., Anaplasma marginale, or A. phagocytophilum were tested by ELISA with separate whole-cell or recombinant B. burgdorferi antigens. An ELISA and Western blot analyses can be used to confirm the exposure of cattle to B. burgdorferi.
Magnarelli
Louis A
LA
Department of Entomology, The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, P.O. Box 1106, New Haven, Connecticut 06504, USA. louis.magnarelli@po.state.ct.us
Bushmich
Sandra L
SL
Sherman
Bruce A
BA
Fikrig
Erol
E
D041081:Anaplasma phagocytophilum / Q000276:immunology; D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology*; D015153:Blotting, Western / Q000662:veterinary; D025065:Borrelia burgdorferi / Q000276:immunology*; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D003237:Connecticut; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000662:veterinary; D005260:Female; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect / Q000662:veterinary; D008193:Lyme Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D008970:Molecular Weight; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013984:Tick Infestations / Q000662:veterinary
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D011994:Recombinant Proteins