Study on the Diagnosis of Brucellosis: mainly, Coombs Test

Abstract

Though the agglutination test has been generally applied for the diagnosis of Brucellosis, specific reactions may be sometimes inhibited, or non-specific reactions may occur. Among studies to remove these facts, the anti-globulin test by Coombs and others (1945), by which could be detected incomplete antibody of Rh-factor, has been investigated for this disease since 1951. For experiments of this study, mainly goat and sheep withBr. melitensis have been used, while few reports on cattles with Br. abortus have been seen.
The auther has examined on 808 Jersey cattles this test, which has been never reported in our country, comparing with the agglutination test and C. F. T., and consecutive observations were made on cattles, which indicated positiv reactions.
By bovine Brucellosis, also Coombs antibody appeared earlier than agglutinin, and a rise of its titer was abrupt, and attained to peak, while the titer of agglutinin was rising;but, it did'nt disappear, even after the disappearance of agglutinin.
C. F. antibody appeared following Coombs antibody, and its appearance has been recognized to be parallel to Coombs antibody.
Cattles, by which both Coombs antibody and C. antibody were provedeven if agglutination test was negativ, should be suspected to be infected by Brucella. It seems likely, that the combined examination of Coombs test and C. F. test could dissolve the problem of cattles, which indicate weak reactions, and contribute to differentiate nonspecific rections from infection.
Coombs antibody is highly stable, and no fall of potency has been recognized after refrigerating, dissolution or long-term storage in icebor.