USE OF AN ENZYME-LINKED IMMUNOSORBENT-ASSAY TO MEASURE ANTIGENAEMIA DURING ACUTE PLAGUE

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  • 1 January 1984
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 62  (3) , 463-466
Abstract
An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed to measure concentrations of the specific F1 antigen of the plague bacillus in biological fluids. The assay employed a monoclonal antibody to capture the antigen. Sensitivity of the assay was 0.4 ng of F1 antiben. ELISA-inhibition was used to confirm the specificity of the reactions. This assay detected F1 antigen in 2 of 10 sera from patients with acute bubonic plague and indicated that antigenemia in man during palque may reach levels of 4-8 .mu.g of F1 antigen/ml of serum. The probability for a correct serodiagnosis of plague was improved when the patients'' sera were tested for both antibody and antigen. Two patients with antigenemia did not have antibody, while 2 patients with antibody lacked antigenaemia.