ISOLATION OF SEROVAR-SPECIFIC LEPTOSPIRAL ANTIGENS FOR USE IN AN ENZYME-LINKED-IMMUNOSORBENT-ASSAY (ELISA) COMPARED WITH THE MICROSCOPIC AGGLUTINATION-TEST AND IMMUNOFLUORESCENCE

A total of 10 different detergents were used with the intention of ext racting serovar-specific antigens from eight leptospiral serovars for use in an ELISA. Extractions with 2% sodium taurocholate at 50 degrees C proved to be best suited for this purpose. Taurocholate extracted a ntigens could be separated in SDS-PAGE and antigenic activities demons trated in immunoblotting. In comparative studies on sera taken from ca ttle, pigs, horses and dogs, the self-made ELISA proved to be more sen sitive than the microscopic agglutination test (MAT) and the immunoflu orescence test (IFT). The IFT gave different results from those obtain ed using MAT or ELISA.