EVALUATION OF AN ENZYME-LINKED-IMMUNOSORBENT-ASSAY USING RECOMBINANT MAJOR SURFACE PROTEIN-5 FOR SEROLOGICAL DIAGNOSIS OF BOVINE ANAPLASMOSIS IN VENEZUELA

An indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed fo r the serological diagnosis of bovine anaplasmosis with purified recom binant major surface protein 5 (MSP5) of Anaplasma marginale produced in Escherichia coli. Serum antibody responses against MSP5 were detect ed in calves experimentally infected with A. marginale as early as 21 days postinfection and reached maximum titers at 28 days postinfection . The MSP5 ELISA performed with serum samples taken from field cattle from different regions of Venezuela showed a seroprevalence of 47%, wh ich seems to be in accordance with the reported epidemiological status of bovine anaplasmosis in Venezuela. Positive results obtained in the MSP5 ELISA were further confirmed by immunoblotting, with the recombi nant MSP5 as the antigen. Thus, these results confirmed the importance of MSP5 as a suitable antigen for the serological diagnosis of bovine anaplasmosis.