Novel ELISA for detection of Neospora-specific antibodies in cattle

An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to detect antibodies to Neospora species in cattle was developed. Whole formalin-fixed Neospora caninum (NC-Liverpool) tachyzoites were used as antigen and a monoclonal antibody to bovine immunoglobulin light chain and an anti-mouse horseradish peroxidase conjugate were used to reveal bound antibody. A panel of 46 sera, negative by the immunofluorescent antibody test (IFAT), were used in the ELISA at a serum dilution of 1:500 to calculate the negative cut-off value of OD405 = 0.77. There was a 95 per cent agreement between the results of the ELISA and the IFAT with 104 serum samples. The specificity and sensitivity of the ELISA were 96 per cent and 95 per cent, respectively, when compared with the IFAT. No significant cross-reaction was observed with the sera from cattle infected experimentally with Toxoplasma gondii, Cryptosporidium parvum, Babesia divergens, Sarcocystis cruzi, Eimeria alabamensis or E bovis. A significantly modified version of the test is now commercially available.