Comparative evaluation of a field-based Dot-ELISA kit with three other serological tests for the detection of Brucella antibodies in goats

A dot-ELISA (d-ELISA) test was evaluated and compared with the serum agglut ination test (SAT), micro-complement fixation test (CFT) and a plate-ELISA (p-ELISA) for field use in screening herds of goats against brucellosis. Du ring the standardization of the dot-ELISA kit on 1732 caprine serum samples , 1571 samples out of 1666 were found to be negative in d-ELISA, SAT and mi cro-CFT, while 59 were positive in different combinations. Of a further 66 serum samples, 34 were negative and 31 were positive in different combinati ons in d-ELISA, SAT, micro-CFT and p-ELISA. A total of 1584 goats belonging to different herds were then screened for brucellosis. Of the 694 serum sa mples screened in the first batch using d-ELISA, a positive reaction was ob served in 26 cases. Further screening of these cases revealed 13 and 21 goa ts as positive reactors in SAT and CFT, respectively. In a second batch of 890 goats there were 109 positive reactors in d-ELISA. Among these 109 goat s, 34, 40 and 80 goats were positive reactors in SAT, CFT and p-ELISA, resp ectively. The results of d-ELISA correlated well with those of p-ELISA. Dot -ELISA was found to be a more suitable and rapid test for screening large n umbers of goats in the field.