Wstępne badania nad przydatnością ELISA w diagnostyce serologicznej gruźlicy bydła w Polsce

The aim of the study was to perform a preliminary evaluation of the ELISA test for the diagnosis of bovine tuberculosis in Polish conditions. The Idexx kit of immunoassays for detecting the presence of antibodies specific for Mycobacterium bovis in samples of cattle’s blood serum and plasma was used to examine a total of 50 serum samples from clinically healthy animals, 44 sera from cows with previous positive result of tuberculin tests, but negative in microbiological examination, 25 sera from animals from whose tissues strains of Mycobacterium bovis had been isolated (including 10 sera from cows with characteristic tuberculous lesions and 15 sera from animals without these lesions), and 16 serum samples from animals reacting positively for Johne’s disease. On the basis of the results of these examinations, the specificity of the test was determined at 100% and sensitivity at 90%. There were no cross-reactions, and the results indicate that the ELISA Idexx kit may be used as an important diagnostic tool in the diagnosis of bovine tuberculosis.