Using BCG, MPT-51 and Ag85 as antigens in an indirect ELISA for the diagnosis of bovine tuberculosis

• Published in: The veterinary journal (1997) Vol. 187; no. 2; pp. 276 - 278
• Main Authors: Silva, Ediane Batista da, Silva, Bruna Daniella de Souza, Leon, Jerônimo Rafael Ruiz, Kipnis, André, de Miranda Santos, Isabel K.F., Junqueira-Kipnis, Ana Paula
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.02.2011
• Subjects: Animals; Antigens, Bacterial - blood; Antigens, Bacterial - immunology; Bacterial Proteins - blood; Bacterial Proteins - immunology; BCG; Bovine tuberculosis; Cattle; Diagnosis; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay - methods; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay - veterinary; Indirect ELISA; Mycobacterium bovis - immunology; Mycobacterium tuberculosis; Sensitivity and Specificity; Tuberculin Test - veterinary; Tuberculosis, Bovine - blood; Tuberculosis, Bovine - diagnosis; Diagnosis; Indirect ELISA; Bovine tuberculosis; BCG
• ISSN: 1090-0233; 1532-2971
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2009.11.017

This study evaluated the Mycobacterium tuberculosis protein antigen MPT-51, the trimeric antigen 85 (Ag85) complex, and Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) in an indirect ELISA to diagnose bovine tuberculosis (TB) from serum samples . Serum was collected from 208 intra-dermal tuberculin test (ITT)-positive and 54 ITT-negative animals from a region where bovine TB is endemic. Using the Ag85 and BCG antigens, the indirect ELISA was able to discriminate ITT-positive from ITT-negative animals. This level of discrimination was not achieved when using the MPT-51 antigen. The highest sensitivity (Se) and specificity (Sp) of the test was found when BCG was used (Se, 82%; Sp, 91%). Further work in different epidemiological settings and with larger numbers of animals will be required to validate these findings.