Development and validation of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for antibodies against Mycobacterium bovis in European wild boar.
BACKGROUND
Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) remains a significant problem in some parts of Spain largely because of contacts between cattle and wildlife reservoirs in extensive grazing systems. European Wild boar (Sus scrofa) is one of the species involved in the transmission of the disease to other species. Fast and simple detection methods would be critical for assessing infection prevalence, study the mechanisms of pathogen transmission and monitoring the effects of TB control measures.


RESULTS
An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to detect antibodies against Mycobacterium bovis in wild boar serum was developed and validated on 185 sera from TB positive and negative wild boar. Based on antigen inoculation of captive animals as well as tuberculosis compatible lesions, culture results and molecular analysis of hunted individuals, animals were allocated into two groups: tuberculosis positive group and tuberculosis negative group. After optimization of the positive to negative ratio using different combinations of serum dilutions and conjugate concentrations, the test yielded a sensitivity of 72.60% and a specificity of 96.43% for the best cut-off.


CONCLUSIONS
Although some negative group animals showed an ELISA positive reaction (< 3%), this assay showed a high potential for accurate diagnosis of TB in wild boar, as its large dynamic range supported a good discriminatory power and a satisfactory balance between sensitivity and specificity.
Aurtenetxe
Olaia
O
Instituto Vasco de Investigación y Desarrollo Agrario (NEIKER-TECNALIA), Berreaga 1, 48160 Derio, Spain. oaurtenetxe@neiker.net
Barral
Marta
M
Vicente
Joaquín
J
de la Fuente
José
J
Gortázar
Christian
C
Juste
Ramón A
RA
D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards*; D005060:Europe; D009163:Mycobacterium bovis / Q000276:immunology*; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000097:blood; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D034421:Sus scrofa / Q000382:microbiology*
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; C029152:G-substrate; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins