The application of the immunoenzyme method in microbiology. Detection of anti-treponema and anti-toxoplasma antibodies.

Abstract The indirect immunoenzyme technique was used to detect anti- Treponema antibodies and antibodies against Toxoplasma gondii . Anti-human γ-globulin was conjugated to horseradish peroxidase and the coupling reaction was carried out with glutaraldehyde. For tracing the enzyme by light microscopy the histological staining of Graham and Karnovsky (1966) was applied. The results were compared with those obtained by the indirect immunofluorescent technique. The immunoenzyme technique proved as specific and at least as sensitive as immunofluorescence for detecting anti- Treponema antibodies. The method was found more sensitive than immunofluorescence for detecting anti- Toxoplasma antibodies and its specificity was confirmed by the dye-test.