A prospective evaluation of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and agar gel immunodiffusion test (AGID) relative to fecal culture in the diagnosis of clinical and subclinical paratuberculosis in cattle in central Ohio
Spangler, L.; Bech-Nielsen, S.; Heider, L.E.
Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica. Supplementum 84: 243-245
1988
ISSN/ISBN: 0065-1699 PMID: 3148275 Document Number: 326140
The results of serological testing for paratuberculosis (AGID and ELISA) of 404 cattle were compared to faecal culture results. The AGID test was positive in 76 of 110 clinically suspect cows and in 6 of 30 subclinically infected cows from endemic herds. The AGID test was negative in all 102 cows from the negative control herd and in all but one of 162 faecal culture negative cows in endemicaly infected herds. The mean ELISA response of positive cattle was significantly different from negative cattle. Subclinically infected cattle could not be differentiated from clinically infected cattle on the basis of mean ELISA response. The use of likelihood ratios enabled ELISA results to be interpreted more flexibly.