title: An evaluation of serological tests in the diagnosis of bovine brucellosis in naturally infected cattle in KwaZulu-Natal province in South Africa.
abstract: The diagnostic sensitivity (DSe) of the Rose Bengal test (RBT), the complement fixation test (CFT), the serum agglutination test (SAT), the competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (cELISA) and the indirect ELISA (iELISA) were determined in naturally infected cattle in KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa with known infectious status from culture (gold standard). Natural brucellosis infection status of animals was determined by culturing and identification of Brucella abortus biovar 1 from abomasal fluid, milk, hygroma fluid, lymph nodes or uterine discharges samples. The diagnostic specificity (DSp) of the tests mentioned above was determined using samples from known negative herds. There was no statistically significant difference between the tests in their ability to diagnose brucellosis. The RBT and iELISA had the highest DSe of 95.8%, whereas RBT and CFT had the highest DSp of 100%. In South African laboratories, the RBT and CFT serological tests are used, because of the cost efficacy of CFT when compared to the less labour intensive but more expensive iELISA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Allerton Provincial Veterinary Laboratory. songechisi@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Songelwayo L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Chisi
authors.forename: Yoanda
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Marageni
authors.forename: Prebashni
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Naidoo
authors.forename: Gloria
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zulu
authors.forename: George W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Akol
authors.forename: Henriette
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Van Heerden
mesh_terms: D000372:Agglutination Tests / Q000592:standards / Q000662:veterinary*; D000818:Animals; D002003:Brucella abortus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002007:Brucellosis, Bovine / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002417:Cattle; D003168:Complement Fixation Tests / Q000592:standards / Q000662:veterinary*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000592:standards / Q000662:veterinary*; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000382:microbiology; D008892:Milk / Q000382:microbiology; D012395:Rose Bengal; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013019:South Africa
chemical_list: D012395:Rose Bengal