An indirect enzyme linked immunosorbent assay for the detection of bovine antibodies to multiple Leptospira serovars.

An indirect enzyme linked immunosorbent assay was developed for the detection of bovine antibodies to multiple pathogenic Leptospira serovars, including canicola, copenhageni (represents icterohaemorrhagiae), grippotyphosa, hardjobovis, pomona, and sejroe. The antigen utilized in this assay was a sonicated mixture of equal parts of killed whole cells of each of the 6 serovars named above. A mouse monoclonal antibody against bovine immunoglobulin (Ig)G1 that was conjugated with horseradish peroxidase was used for detection of bound antibodies. This assay was evaluated with sera (n = 3107) that were microscopic agglutination test (MAT)-negative (at a 1:100 dilution) for each of the 6 serovars listed above and sera (n = 601) that were MAT-positive (at a 1:100 dilution) for 1, or any combination of the 6 listed serovars. In addition, sera from serial weekly bleedings of cows, which were individually experimentally infected with serovars hardjobovis, copenhageni, grippotyphosa, or canicola, were also tested in this assay. At an optimal cut-off point determined by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, the relative sensitivity and specificity of the assay were 93.5% (95% confidence interval = 91.2% to 95.3%) and 94.7% (95% confidence interval = 93.9% to 95.5%), respectively. This assay was able to detect antibody in the sera of animals experimentally infected with serovar hardjobovis as early as 1 week postinoculation.