COMPARISONS OF COMPLEMENT-FIXATION, INDIRECT FLUORESCENT-ANTIBODY, AND CARD AGGLUTINATION TESTS FOR DIAGNOSIS OF BOVINE ANAPLASMOSIS

  • 1 January 1978
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 39  (9) , 1538-1541
Abstract
Results of complement-fixation (CF), indirect fluorescent antibody (IFA) and card agglutination (CT) tests were statistically compared, using 380 serum samples obtained from 140 cattle which were disease-free or naturally or experimentally infected with Anaplasma marginale of Colombian origin. The IFA test was significantly the most sensitive for detection of animals infected with anaplasmosis (97%); the CT test and the CF test were less so (84% and 79%, respectively). The most efficient test for identifying noninfected animals was the CF test (100%), and the CT and the IFA tests were less efficient (98% and 90%). A linear regression analysis performed on the average IFA and CF titers of 10 calves artificially infected with A. marginale during a 20-wk period showed significant regression coefficients for both tests. The regression line for the CF titers decreased below the sensitivity threshold at 14 wk after calves were inoculated, whereas the regression line for the IFA titers continued above the sensitivity threshold 20 wk after inoculation. The CT test also detected antibodies until the end of the observation period.