[The detection of specific antigens in experimental anthrax]

The dynamics of various specific antigens was studied in guinea pigs infected with strain 72/12 of Tsenkovskiĭ's second vaccine. The study showed that at the acute stage of the disease toxin antigens prevailed over the levels of somatic antigens and nonprotective protein with a molecular weight of 79 KD. The enzyme immunoassay system for the detection of the lethal toxin factor permitted the detection of the antigen in the blood sera of 100% of infected animals at the prodromal period and the acute stage of the disease. In pathological material obtained from skin lesions the presence of toxin antigens and nonprotective protein was registered in 90-100% of the animals. The diagnostic significance of these assays for the early rapid diagnosis of anthrax during lifetime, as well as for the postmortem rapid diagnosis of the disease.