Use of an immunobinding test on nitrocellulose paper to diagnose caprine brucellosis

摘要

Brucellosis is an infectious disease caused by various Gram-negative bacteria of the genus Brucella, which are facultative iutiacellular pathogens (Romero et al, 1995). Both Brucella melitemis and Brucella abortus have been isolated from goats, but it is mainly the former that is implicated in caprine brucellosis (Acha and Szyfres, 1980). However, both species cause economic losses due to reproductive disorders and reduced production of milk (Leal-Klevezas et al., 1995). Several countries have instigated programmes to control and eradicate caprine brucellosis (A.cha and Szyfres, 1980). One of the strategies in these programmes consists of slaughtering infected animals (WHO, 1986), the success of which depends on accurate and rapid identification of infected goats (Bnckei and Hailing, 1995).