Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for detecting antibodies to Aujeszky's disease virus in pigs

Abstract

An indirect micro enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for detecting antibodies to Aujeszky's disease virus in pigs is described. A control antigen prepared from infected cells was included for each serum tested. Of 243 sera from serologically positive farms, 175 (72 per cent) and 147 (60 per cent) were positive by the ELISA test and microtitre serum neutralisation test, respectively. Failure to include a control antigen for each serum would have resulted in 14 sera (6 per cent) being differently recorded. Results for sera from experimental and field infections indicated that seroconversion was more quickly detected by the ELISA test than the microtitre serum neutralisation test. In addition to greater sensitivity the ELISA test has other advantages over the serum neutralisation test. ELISA is a rapid, cheap test which is not dependent on a continuous supply of cell cultures and which can be readily automated.