DETECTION OF BRUCELLA ANTIBODIES IN ELUTED DRIED BLOOD - A VALIDATION-STUDY

In order to develop a rapid method for the diagnosis of human brucello sis, results of the ELISA test performed on dried whole blood spotted on filter paper were compared with those of the same test carried out on the serum of the same 160 subjects. Four patterns of elution were t ested, combining incubation at 4 degrees C with different exposure tim es in an ultrasound bath. The best correlation (r = 0.79) far the IgG test, was obtained by using a 12-h incubation period plus a 20-min ult rasonic exposure; the same incubation period without ultrasound produc ed the best correlation for the IgM test (r = 0.81).