A novel, rapid and simple method for detecting brucellosis based on rapid vertical flow technology.

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Medicine
• Immunology
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Brucellosis is a contagious zoonotic disease that poses a significant threat to public health and animal agriculture.
• Accurate and rapid diagnostic tools are crucial for controlling brucellosis outbreaks.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a simple and rapid vertical flow technology (RVFT) for detecting antibodies against Brucella.
• To evaluate the efficacy of the developed RVFT assay.

Main Methods:

• Purification of Brucella sp. lipopolysaccharide for antibody detection.
• Preparation of immunogold pads using colloidal gold-labeled recombinant Staphylococcus aureus protein A.
• Application of RVFT for detecting Brucella antibodies in various biological samples (serum, plasma, whole blood) from sheep, cattle, red deer, and humans.

Main Results:

• The developed RVFT assay demonstrated a high accuracy of 98%.
• The assay is effective in detecting Brucella antibodies across multiple animal species and humans.
• The RVFT utilizes a single multifunctional buffer for diverse sample types.

Conclusions:

• The established RVFT is a sensitive and specific diagnostic tool for brucellosis.
• This technology offers advantages of lateral-flow immunoassays, including simplicity and speed.
• The RVFT is highly valuable for primary medical and veterinary units, significantly aiding in epidemic disease control.