EVALUATION OF AN INDIRECT ELISA KIT FOR THE DIAGNOSIS OF BOVINE BRUCELLOSIS IN LATIN-AMERICA

An indirect enzyme linked immunosorbent assay kit produced by the Inte rnational Atomic Energy Agency (LAEA), Vienna, Austria, was evaluated for the diagnosis of bovine brucellosis in five Latin American countri es (Argentina Brazil, Chile, Mexico and Uruguay). Three categories of sera were tested in each country: sera from non-vaccinated negative he rds; sera from vaccinated, negative herds and sera from B. abortus inf ected herds. Most of the sera were also tested by the Rose Bengal plat e test, 2-mercapto ethanol test and rivanol test. The specificity for both negative non-vaccinated and negative vaccinated cows and the sens itivity for positive sera were calculated. The specificity calculated in sera from non-vaccinated animals varied between 94.9%, and 99.6%, w hile for vaccinated animals, it varied between 90.4% and 97.4%. The se nsitivity varied between 98.7% and 100%. The ELISA kit as evaluated ap pears to be a very useful tool in the diagnosis of bovine brucellosis in Latin America.