<b>THE ENZYME‐LINKED IMMUNOSORBENT ASSAY (ELISA) AS A SEROLOGICAL TEST FOR DETECTING ANTIBODIES AGAINST</b><i>LEPTOSPIRA INTERROGANS</i><b>SEROVAR</b><i>HARDJO</i><b>IN SHEEP</b>

Abstract

The enzyme-liked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was compared with the standard microscopic agglutination test (MAT) as a method for detecting antibodies against Leptospira interrogans serovar hardjo in sheep. Peak antibody levels detected by the 2 tests occurred at different times following experimental infection of sheep. In serums from flocks of sheep with naturally acquired infection there was a 95% correlation between MAT and ELISA with respect to the presence or absence of antibody to serovar hardjo, although the levels of correlation of the titres of the 2 tests was low. The 2 tests appeared to measure different antigen-antibody systems. The ELISA would be a useful test for screening large numbers of serums for antibodies to L. interrogans serovar hardjo.