Evaluation of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in the diagnosis of bovine tuberculosis

The behavior of the immunoenzymatic system was tested in the serologic diagnosis of bovine tuberculosis in different populations from areas free of the disease, and in other areas with different prevalence. The specificity registered in the 4009 samples showed 94.4 %, while the range of sensitivity increased proportionally to the number and distribution of lesions found in the anatomopathological test. Overall the sensitivity of the ELISA was 47%. When animals from groups with different prevalence of the disease were studied, a significant correlation (78%) between the ELISA system and the Intradermal Tuberculin Test (IT) was observed in the groups with low prevalence of the disease, animals reactive to both tests were found in all the units. The results of the work and the inherent advantages of the ELISA technique allow recommending this ELISA in programs for control and/or eradication of bovine tuberculosis. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.