Rapid, field-adapted indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for detection of antibodies in bovine whole blood and serum to Brucella abortus.

A simple, rapid, field-adapted indirect enzyme-linked immunoassay (FldELISA) for the detection of antibodies to Brucella abortus in whole blood and serum has been developed. This assay detects antibodies to B. abortus in approximately 15 min or less. Over a 3-month period, this assay has consistently identified immunized and nonimmunized animals, while the percent coefficient of variation for each immunized animal has been less than 20%. As with any indirect enzyme-linked immunoassay, quality control can be established and maintained. Using defined positive and negative sera, the sensitivity and specificity of the FldELISA was 100% and 94.2%, respectively. As a model, this test can be readily extended to other disease applications that use lipopolysaccharide or other stable antigens for the detection of antibodies, such as those to Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli, or Yersinia spp.