Open AccessUtility of Serological Tests in the Era of Molecular Testing for Diagnosis of Human Brucellosis in Endemic Area with Limited Resources
Author(s) -
Shashank Purwar,
Sharada C Metgud,
Manohar B. Mutnal,
Mahantesh B Nagamoti,
C. S. Patil
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
journal of clinical and diagnostic research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2249-782X
pISSN - 0973-709X
DOI - 10.7860/jcdr/2016/15525.7311
Subject(s) - brucella , brucellosis , serology , direct agglutination test , blood culture , titer , brucella melitensis , virology , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , immunology , medicine , antibody , antibiotics
The culture has always been the gold standard test for diagnosis of human brucellosis but the conventional Brucella diagnostic tests viz. serology and culture are often beset with poor specificity & sensitivity respectively. The culture positivity rates for Brucella vary from 92% for bone marrow to 10% for non-blood samples and also dependent on the type of sample. The primary immune-determinant for Brucella species is the cell wall surface lipopolysaccharide, which is antigenically similar to other gram-negative rods. Hence, Brucella serological tests cross react with Escherichia coli 0116 and 0157, Salmonella urbana, Yersinia enterocolitica 0:9, Vibrio cholerae, Xanthomonas maltophilia and Afipia clevellandensis infections, which are common in developing countries also having higher incidence of brucellosis.