Diagnosis of Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis infections in sheep, using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

Lambs infected with Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis (ovis) by injecting suspensions of live bacteria into the wool-free area of the axilla developed antibody against cell wall antigens and antitoxin, as measured by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The toxin was a better antigen for measuring infection than was the cell wall antigen. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay appeared to be as sensitive as the antihemolysin inhibition test for detecting antitoxin and was easier to perform.