The use of an ELISA-inhibition technique for the detection of humoral responses to injected antigens in the freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii: Preliminary studies

Injection of human serum albumin (HSA) into the haemocoel of the freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii did not appear to elicit a quantifiable humoral response in haemolymph samples taken from subject animals. Injection of human immunoglobulin G (IgG), however, appeared to elicit a response which could be shown to have activity against both HSA and IgG. Quantitation of the humoral response was achieved using an ELISA-inhibition technique. It is suggested that the choice of this methodology is appropriate to studies on inducible responses in species for which specific immunological reagents are not readily available.