Evaluation of the Rapid Slide Agglutination Test for Detecting Antibodies against Brucella canis

Abstract

Sensitivity and specificity for detecting antibodies against Brucella canis were compared between the rapid slide agglutination test (RSAT) and the tests conventionally usedin Japan (tube agglutination test, gel-immunodiffusion (GD) test) by using samples collected from field dogs, and experimentally infected dogs.
Sera classified as negative by the RSAT were proved to have titers of 1: 80 or lower by the tube agglutination test. Sera classified as positive by the RSAT and 2-mercaptoethanol-treated RSAT (2ME-RSAT) had titers of 1: 160 or higher. All the sera with positive precipitation line in the GD test were included in the RSAT and 2ME-RSAT positive proup.
The RSAT was evaluated as useful screening test for the serodiagnosis of Brucella infection, since it was simple and rapid with sensitivity and specificity comparable with those of the conventional tests, although B. canis organisms were detected earlier from the blood than by the RSAT.
Of 368 serum samples collected at a dog pound in Hyogo Prefecture, 16 (4.3%) were classified as positive by the RSAT, 2ME-RSAT, and GD test with titers of 1: 160 or higher.