R. Boot et al., AN ENZYME-LINKED-IMMUNOSORBENT-ASSAY (ELISA) FOR MONITORING RODENT COLONIES FOR STREPTOBACILLUS-MONILIFORMIS ANTIBODIES, Laboratory animals, 27(4), 1993, pp. 350-357
An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to measure Streptobacillu
s moniliformis antibodies in mice and rats was developed. Twelve S. mo
niliformis strains originating from cases of rat-bite fever and Haverh
ill fever in man and from various rodent species, showed considerable
serological relationship. The ELISA appeared specific since antibodies
to S. moniliformis were absorbed by autologous and homologous antigen
, but not by heterologous bacterial antigens. Acholeplasma laidlawii s
howed partial serological relationship with S. moniliformis. The ELISA
was validated using experimental infections in mice and rats. These s
tudies and observations in naturally infected feral rats, confirmed th
at S. moniliformis is difficult to grow on primary isolation, and that
the ELISA for S. moniliformis antibodies revealed more contaminated a
nimals than culture.