USE OF PROTEIN ANTIGENSFOR SERODIAGNOSIS OF CATTLE BRUCELLOSIS

Abstract

Traditional serological tests as well as commercial ELISA-kits used in the diagnosis of brucellosis identify antibodies using an antigen prepared from smooth(S) Brucella cells, the main component of which are lipopolysaccharides. For this reason, these tests may give false positive results due to cross-reactions with other gram-negative bacteria. The aim of this research was to study of the
immunogenicity of Brucella recombinant proteins and soluble protein preparations in mice, as well as their antigenicity using blood sera samples of cows positive to brucellosis by SAT, RBPT and CFT. The used recombinant outer membrane and/or periplasmic proteins possessed immunogenicity, i.e. the ability to elicit an immune response in the form of antibody formation. Based on the results of ELISA testing blood serum of cattle, positive to brucellosis according to the results of traditional serological tests, the authors concluded that recombinant proteins can significantly increase the specificity of the assay by eliminating falsepositive reactions.