[Serologic diagnosis of bovine and ovine brucellosis by a buffered antigen test]

In the first part the authors compare the results of the test effected by means of a buffered antigen (EAT) whose cellular concentration was about 10%, with those of slow seroagglutination (SAW) and complement fixation (FC). Like the complement fixation, the buffered antigen test is more specific than seroagglutination. On the other hand, with such an antigen concentration the test lacks sensitivity. In the second part the authors compare the results obtained by these three tests--but this time utilizing a buffered brucella antigen of cellular concentration of approximately 5%--on bovines and ovines whose infection had been determined bacteriologically. The authors have established, under these conditions, that the buffered brucella antigen test allows the screening of a greater number of infected animals than does the SAW or even the FC. Both for bovines as well as ovines, the agreement between SAW and EAT equals 89%; betueen FC and EAT it reaches 93%; in case of disagreement it is always the EAT which is positive.