Direct fluorescent antibody test and bacteriological culture for detection of Brucella suis in swine tissues

Methods available for detection of Brucella sp from different specimens include bacteriological culture or detection of specific DNA fragments by polymerase chain reaction. The use of fluorescein-labeled anti-Brucella globulin for demonstrating this antigen in animal tissues is a simple, easy, reproducible, cheap and fast technique. The aim of this work was to evaluate the gamma globulin fraction of polyclonal anti-Brucella abortus serum labeled with fluorescein iso-tio-cyanate (FITC-labeled antibody): 1) against different smooth and rough Brucella sp, 2) against bacterium of other genus, and 3) to compare direct fluorescent antibody test results with bacteriological culture for the detection of B. suis in different tissues from infected animals. This conjugate stained all Brucella sp with different intensities but it did not stain any heterologous bacterium tested. Background fluorescence associated with its use on smears from infected sources of different specimens was particularly low. Most of the infected tissues showed the presence of yellowish-green fluorescent organisms with brucella morphology. The tested FITC-labeled antibody allows a quick, effective and inexpensive diagnosis of brucellosis.