The Serological Diagnosis of Bovine Brucellosis: An Evaluation of the Complement Fixation, Serum Agglutination and Rose Bengal Tests

Abstract

In a collaborative investigation in which 4 laboratories took part, the Rose Bengal Test (RBT), Serum Agglutination Test (SAT) and 4 different Complement Fixation (CFT) techniques were evaluated in selected cattle for the diagnosis of bovine brucellosis, by comparing the results they gave with the bacteriological examination of a selection of lymph nodes taken from the same animals at slaughter. The RBT correctly classified all but 1 of 79 culture-positive cattle, but was more often positive in culture-negative animals than the other tests. The RBT may be most useful as a screen test. 11% of the culture-positive cattle had SAT titres below 100 iu and almost 4% of them had less than 30 iu. However, the SAT was more effective in cattle vaccinated with the 45/20 vaccine. The CFT, in 1 of 4 techniques used, identified all of the culture-positive cattle at a serum dilution of 1/4 or above and was considered to be far superior to the SAT as a diagnostic test, except perhaps in cattle vaccinated with the 45/20 vaccine.

Study on the seroprevalence of small ruminant brucellosis in and around Bahir Dar, North West Ethiopia

“…The test was conducted as per the procedure recommended by Alton et al (1975) and Nilsen and Dunkan (1990). The antigen was obtained from Institute Pourquier, Montpellier, France.…”

“…Sera with strong reaction, more than 75% fixation of complement (3+) at a dilution of 1: 5 and at least 50% fixation of complement (2%) at a dilution of 1:10 and at dilution of 1:20 were classified as positive (Alton , et al, 1975;OIE, 2004).…”

Diagnosis and management of spinal tuberculosis combined with brucellosis: A case report and literature review

“…Taken into consideration the patient's travel history to Inner Mongolia, which is one of the major pastoral areas of China (15), prior to a fever, a number of laboratory tests were completed to determine a positive diagnosis of brucellosis. Rose-Bengal Plate Test (RBPT) was positive (16) and as a result, a standard serum agglutination test (SAT) was performed as previously described (17), using the SAT antigen (cat. no.…”

The diagnostic efficiency of some serological tests for bovine brucellosis

“…This result could be predicted from the low sensitivity of the SAT to IgG antibody (Chappel et al 1978). Alton, Maw, Rogerson & McPherson (1975b) found that 11 % of animals from which B. abortus could be isolated gave SAT reactions of less than 100 i.u./ml. The present study has shown that an even greater problem may exist.…”