A COMPARATIVE-STUDY OF SEROLOGICAL TESTS FOR USE IN THE BOVINE HERPESVIRUS-1 ERADICATION PROGRAM IN THE NETHERLANDS

We compared a gB-ELISA, a gE-ELISA and a Danish test system (consistin g of a blocking and an indirect ELISA) for their specificity and sensi tivity to detect antibodies against BHV1. The Danish test system showe d the highest sensitivity and the gE-ELISA the lowest; the gB-ELISA sh owed an intermediate sensitivity. if the doubtful zone (25-50% blockin g) of the gB-ELISA was considered as positive (gB-ELISA(+)), the sensi tivity almost reached that of the Danish test system. The specificity of all tests appeared to be very high, 99.7, 96.7 100, 99.7% for the g B-ELISA, gB-ELISA(+), gE-ELISA and the Danish test system, respectivel y. Seroconversion was detected in the gE-ELISA up to 3 weeks later tha n in the gB-ELISA and the Danish test system. It is concluded that the combination of a gB-ELISA (for screening) and the Danish test (for co nfirmation) system used in the BHV1 eradication programme in the Nethe rlands, provides for very high sensitivity (>99.0%) (Kramps et al., 19 94) and a very high specificity (>99.9%). (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B. V.