New microtechnique for the leptospiral microscopic agglutination test.

A new microtechnique has been developed for the detection of leptospiral antibodies in serum by the microscopic agglutination test. The test was set up in a microtiter transfer plate held in a transfer plate holder, resting on a transfer plate cover. Live leptospiral antigen was added and a second transfer plate cover was placed over the transfer plate during 2 h of incubation at 32 C. After incubation the bottom cover was removed and the complete unit was placed in a specially designed base plate containing microscope slides (50 by 75 mm). The serum/antigen mixture was ejected on to the microscope slides by means of a sharp tap. The agglutination was then read using a 10 X objective, 10 X eyepieces, and a dry, dark field condenser.