[Comparative evaluation of the methods of determining perfringens A antitoxin]

The methods for determining the level of type A Perfringens antitoxin in human blood sera were examined and compared. The ratios for correlating the data obtained in the toxin neutralization test (NT) in vivo, in the passive hemagglutination test (PHT), and as a result of the enzyme-labeled immunosorbent assay (ELISA) with regard to the antitoxin level measured in the NT in vitro were equal to 0.88, 0.64 and 0.39, respectively. The sensitivity of the NT in vivo and in vitro was 0.25 IU/ml, that of the PHT 0.01-0.005 IU/ml, and that of the ELISA 0.01-0.02 IU/ml Perfringens antitoxin. To perform the NT, not less than 1 ml blood serum is required, while for the PHT and ELISA, 0.1-0.05 ml. Provided hyghly purified anatoxin is used for preparing the erythrocyte diagnosticum Perfringens, and polysterene plates are sensitized in performing the ELISA, all the reactions are specific. While titrating human blood sera containing type A Perfringens antitoxin, use in the PHT may be made of type A Perfringens rabbit antiserum as reference.