Comparative Diagnostic Efficacy of Commonly used
Serological Assays for Brucellosis
Elsayyad M Ahmed1, Doaa Naguib2*,
Amira Mohamed Mazeed3, Ahmed Ezaat Ahmed4 and
Reham M El-tarabili5
1Department
of Virology, Animal Health Research Institute (AHRI), Agriculture
Research Center (ARC), Dokki, Giza, 12611, Egypt
2Department
of Hygiene and Zoonoses, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Mansoura
University, Mansoura 35516, Egypt
3Division
of Infectious Diseases, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Arish
University, North Sinai, 45511, Egypt
4Department
of Biology, College of Science, King Khalid University, Abha 61413,
Saudi Arabia
5Department
of Bacteriology, Immunology, and Mycology, Faculty of Veterinary
Medicine, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt
*Corresponding author:
doaanaguib246@yahoo.com
Abstract
Brucellosis is a popular, zoonotic disease that
has detrimental implications on human, animal, and economic health. This study
compared the efficiency and effectiveness of various serological tests for the
seroprevalence of brucellosis in cattle in four Egyptian governorates, including
the buffered acidified plate antigen (BAPA) assay, Rose Bengal Plate Test
(RBPT), indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (i-ELISA), and competitive
enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (c-ELISA). A total of 240 sera samples were
collected from asymptomatic cattle from Cairo (n = 58), Ismailia (n = 62), Beni
Suif (n = 60), and Fayom (n = 60) in Egypt. According to PABA, RBT, i-ELISA, and
c-ELISA assay results, the overall prevalence of brucellosis was 141 (58.75%),
141 (58.75%), 169 (70.4%), and 160 (66.66%), respectively. i-ELISA as the gold
standard: the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of RBT were evaluated as
99, 70 and 59%, respectively with a 95% confidence interval (CI) of 95 to 100%,
60 to 79% and 52 to 65%. While considering c-ELISA as the gold standard: the
sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of RBT were evaluated as 100, 81 and 59%,
respectively with a 95% CI of 97 to 100%, 72 to 88% and 52 to 65%, respectively.
In conclusion, both ELISA tests were proven to be superior serological tests
than PABA and RBPT, and they may be suggested for use in Egypt in screening
cattle for brucellosis. A national campaign to control and prevent brucellosis
should also get underway to lower its incidence. To do this, veterinary
practitioners and cattle owners should exert more effort to inform the public
about the economic effects and zoonotic potential of the disease.
To Cite This Article:
Ahmed EM, Naguib D, Mazeed AM, Ahmed AE and El-tarabili
RM, 2023. Comparative diagnostic efficacy of commonly used serological assays
for brucellosis. Pak Vet J, 43(4): 665-670. http://dx.doi.org/10.29261/pakvetj/2023.105