BSE-test (Bio-Rad ELISA) with autolytic brain material - An orientating investigation

BSE-positive brain material was mixed a.a. with negative brain, liquefied b y autolysis. One part was frozen immediately, the other stored closed at ro om temperature over 72 h for further autolysis. The defrosted and the furth er autolysized samples were tested using dilution series a dilution corresp onding to a 1 / 32 of the prescribed sample volume both trials result in op tical densities (OD) near the OD of the positive control of the test. Even at a dilution corresponding to a 1 /128 of the regular sample volume the sa mples of all experiments have to be classified as ,,not negative". The comp arison with the corresponding investigationsl without inoculation showes, t hat neither the addition of autolytic material nor the further autolysis du ring 3 days had considerable influence on the test evaluation.