Determination of Sensitivity and Specificity of Various Serological Tests for Detection of Brucella spp. Infection in Male Goats and Sheep

Brucellosis is a zoonosis found throughout the world with major implications both in the field of public health and farming economy. It is most often caused by Brucella abortus and Brucella melitensis. This study aimed for evaluation of the sensitivity and specificity of immunochromatographic assay (ICA) and comparing the results with those obtained from Rose Bengal Plate Test (RBPT) and in direct Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) for serodiagnosis of sheep and goat brucellosis. Out of 41 sera samples (21 rams and 20 male goats) which were examined, antibodies against Brucella were detected 8 (38.09%), 6 (28.57%) and 16 (76.19%) in ram samples, whereas they were detected in 3 (15%), 1 (5%) and 12 (60%) of male goats’ serum samples by RBPT, (ICA) and iELISA, respectively. The kappa value between iELISA and ICA was -0.08 and that between RBPT and ELISA was -0.01 in rams and the kappa value between iELISA and ICA was -0.06 and that between RBPT and ELISA was -0.14 in male goats. The sensitivity for RBPT and ICA were 37.5% and 25%, while specificity was 60% and 60% in rams; whereas, in male goats, sensitivity for RBPT was 8.33% and ICA was 8.33%, while specificity was 75% and 100%, respectively. It can be concluded that the developed ICA is an effective immunodiagnostic assay, and it is rapid, non-expensive, economical and suitable for large-scale screening in developing countries and rural areas. The objectives of this study were to assess the diagnostic value of the ICA device for serodiagnosis of ovine and caprine brucellosis and compare the results with those obtained from RBPT and iELISA.