A comparison of 4 serological tests in the detection of humoral antibodies to anaplasmosis in cattle.

A capillary agglutination (CA), a complement fixation (CF), a plate agglutination (PT) and an indirect fluorescent antibody (IFA) test to detect humoral antibodies to Anaplasma marginale are described. Serums from 3, 4 or 5 groups of cattle were used to examine the efficiency of the tests. Agreement between all 4 tests was 86.6%. Agreement between pairs of tests was greater. The CF test was the most sensitive while the PT test was the least sensitive. However the PT could be carried out very rapidly and was suggested as the best screening test, providing improved antigen preparation techniques could increase sensitivity. The CA, CF and IFA tests all showed a stronger homologous antibody reaction when A. marginale antigen was tested against serums obtained from cattle infected with either A. marginale or A. centrale. Antibodies in the A. marginale serums were first detected by day 7 post-inoculation, rose to peak around day 29 and were still present on day 200. Antibodies in the A. centrale serums were first detected by day 29 rose to a peak around day 50 and had disappeared by day 150.