Using ELISA for the detection of Brucella antibodies in milk: technical brief
This brief summarises lessons learned from 10 dairy production zones of 7 West and Central African countries
Abstract
One of this project objectives is to obtain estimates of the prevalence of brucellosis in peri-urban dairy systems in West and Central Africa. These estimates are needed to design control programs that are appropriate for the existing baseline level of infection. In partnership with diagnostic laboratories from different countries, cross-sectional studies of dairy herds are conducted using an indirect ELISA for the detection of antibodies in milk provided by the OIE Reference Laboratory for Brucellosis at the UK’s Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA). The high sensitivity of the assay allows identification of infected unvaccinated herds by testing of bulk milk samples, making the milk ELISA a useful tool for brucellosis surveillance in disease-free countries such as the UK or as part of baseline surveys to generate initial prevalence estimates in areas where they are lacking, such as many West and Central Africa dairy production zones.
This brief summarises lessons learned from the use of the indirect ELISA assay as part of cross-sectional studies of brucellosis in dairy farms carried out across 10 dairy production zones of 7 West and Central African countries. It highlight the problems encountered and how to avoid and overcome them in order to facilitate the adoption of this technique as a diagnostic tool in other low and middle-income countries, where the facilities are not optimal.
This work arises from the Zoonoses and Emerging Livestock Systems (ZELS) programme.
Citation
Musallam I, McGiven J, Akakpo A (2017). Using ELISA for the detection of Brucella antibodies in milk.
Links
Using ELISA for the detection of Brucella antibodies in milk - TECHNICAL BRIEF (PDF, 1744KB)