Comparison of standard tube and microagglutination techniques for determining<i>Brucella</i>antibodies

SUMMARYAn enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to determine the levels of brucella-specific IgG, IgM and Brucella ELISA immunoglobulins (Ig) were detected in some individuals in the control groups but the majority of these had titres of < 100 for IgG, IgM, and IgA. However, patients with brucellosis had significantly higher ELISA titres in all classes of Ig than controls but the sensitivity and specificity within each Ig class varied with the titre considered. At a titre of > 1600 the brucella IgG had a sensitivity and specificity of 98 % for patients with acute or chronic brucellosis; this decreased with lower reciprocal titres. The brucella IgM titre of > 400 had a sensitivity of 98 % and a specificity of 98 % for patients with acute brucellosis.However, in patients with chronic brucellosis the brucella IgM was very low. The brucella IgA titre of > 200 showed a sensitivity of 98 % and a specificity of 99 % for patients with either acute or chronic brucellosis. This study indicates that brucella ELISA is a rapid, sensitive and specific assay, provides a profile of Ig classes in the diagnosis of acute and chronic brucellosis, is useful for mass screening and could be considered the method of choice for the serological diagnosis of brucellosis.

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“…The SAT and MAT results were comparable with minor differences only and were similar to the findings of Bettelheim, Maskill & Pearce (1983).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 78%

Evaluation of ELISA in the diagnosis of acute and chronic brucellosis in human beings

Araj

Lulu

Mustafa

et al. 1986

J. Hyg.

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“…Sensitivity and specificity of MAT with stained antigen have been demonstrated to be comparable or superior to those of the standard tube agglutination test with unstained antigen (Francis and Evans, 1926) in both Francisella (Massey and Mangiafico, 1974;Brown et al, 1980;Sato et al, 1990) and Brucella (Bettelheim et al, 1983;Moyer et al, 1987;Rogers et al, 1989;Sato et al, 1990). We can confirm that MAT compared with the standard tube agglutination 'macrotest' is quicker, easier to perform, more economical (saving sera and antigens) as well as better readable when the sera are haemolytic.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Serological survey of the wild boar (Sus scrofa) for tularaemia and brucellosis in South Moravia, Czech Republic

Hubálek¹,

Treml²,

Juricová³

et al. 2002

Vet. Med.

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Sera of 204 wild boars (Sus scrofa), shot by hunters in the South-Moravian district of Břeclav during 1993-2001, were tested by microagglutination reaction using safranin-stained antigens of Francisella tularensis and Brucella abortus: 10.8% and 8.7% seroreactors, respectively, were detected. The highest (17%) prevalence of tularaemia antibodies was found in wild boars during 1993-1994 at the beginning of a widespread outbreak of tularaemia in South Moravia that started in 1994, a nonsignificantly lower (13%) seroprevalence in 1995-1996 during the continuing epizootic, whereas it decreased markedly to 3% in the years 1997-2001 during the disappearance of the epizootic. Brucella sp. antibodies were significantly most frequent (15%) in wild boars in the years 1995-1996. This Brucella seroreactivity has been attributed to B. suis biotype 2 (B. melitensis biovar Suis biotype 2 according to new nomenclature) infection, because B. abortus in both cattle and humans (Bang's disease) was eradicated in the former Czechoslovakia in 1964. The hare brucellosis (B. suis biotype 2) has occurred in the Břeclav district in a number of natural foci revealing an increased activity since 1994.

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“…In the present study, the seroprevalence based on ELISA brucellaspecific IgG, IgM and IgA were detected with higher frequency than in SAT or AHGT, most likely due to differences in test sensitivity. For example, Bettelheim and colleagues [37] reported that among 307 healthy blood donors who were negative by SAT, 20 1 % had positive brucella antibodies by AHGT. The sensitivity that of SAT especially in detecting chronic and complicated cases of brucellosis [12,13].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Seroprevalence of brucella antibodies among persons in high-risk occupation in Lebanon

Araj

Azzam

1996

Epidemiol. Infect.

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SUMMARYPrevalence of brucella-specific antibodies was measured in 597 persons in high-risk occupations living in 10 regions of Lebanon using the standard agglutination test (SAT), anti-human globulin (Coombs') test (AHGT) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for measuring immunoglobulin G (IgG), IgM and IgA. The study population consisted of butchers (54%), farmers (35 %), laboratory technicians (8 %), abbatoir workers (2%) and veterinarians (1 %), with 82% males and 18% females. The overall seroprevalence based on SAT and AHGT titres of > 80 was 1b7% and 15 %, respectively, but seroprevalence varied by region from 0-5 % in SAT and from 3-434 % for AHGT. The overall seroprevalence based on ELISA IgG (OD > 0 6), IgM (OD > 0'6) and IgA (OD > 0 3) was 57, 61 and 26 %, respectively. The highest seroprevalence was noted in Biqaa (34 %), Kisrwan (24%), Shouf (21 %), Sidon (16 %) and Aley (12 %) regions. Nineteen percent of those surveyed reported symptoms that could be associated with brucellosis. We conclude that exposure to brucellosis is high among persons in high-risk occupations from all surveyed regions in Lebanon. Such findings should be used to design control measures especially now that the 17 years of civil strife is over.

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Comparison of standard tube and microagglutination techniques for determiningBrucellaantibodies

Cited by 21 publications

References 4 publications

Evaluation of ELISA in the diagnosis of acute and chronic brucellosis in human beings

Evaluation of ELISA in the diagnosis of acute and chronic brucellosis in human beings

Serological survey of the wild boar (Sus scrofa) for tularaemia and brucellosis in South Moravia, Czech Republic

Seroprevalence of brucella antibodies among persons in high-risk occupation in Lebanon

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