A COMPLEMENT-FIXATION, ENZYME-LINKED-IMMUNOSORBENT-ASSAY AS AN AID INTHE SEROLOGICAL INVESTIGATION OF ENZOOTIC ABORTION IN EWES

An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay which detects complement fixed in an antigen/antibody complex (CFELISA) was used to examine sera previo usly examined by the complement fixation test (CFT) in an investigatio n of enzootic abortion in ewes (EAE). The CFELISA was easy to perform and did not suffer from the many drawbacks of the CFT. Accepting a CFT titre of greater than or equal to 32 to indicate infection, the CFELI SA had a sensitivity of 98 per cent and a specificity of 100 per cent; the predictive value of a positive result was 100 per cent and that o f a negative result was 98 per cent.