[Development of an ELISA-system for the assessment of furunculosis vaccines]

As an alternative method for challenge experiments in fish a sandwich-ELISA has been established for the detection of potentially protective antibody populations. Assay specificity depends on monoclonal antibodies (mabs) directed against different antigens of Aeromonas salmonicida, the causative agent of furunculosis. Comparable levels of salmon antibodies against LPS and the A-layer protein were recorded by ELISA and antigen binding assay. These studies, together with the first analysis of trout sera refer to the specificity and suitability of the ELISA-system for monitoring of individual antibody populations. A study of different mabs against the A-layer protein points to the possibility for detecting at least partially different antibody populations against this virulence factor.