Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay of bovine tuberculosis by crude mycobacterial protein 70

MPB70 (mycobacterial protein of BCG 70) as T-cell stimulator has been tried with an intradermal skin test (IST) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) of bovine tuberculosis (BTB). In this study, crude mycobacterial protein 70 (CMP70) was prepared by anion exchange chromatography from the culture supernatant of Mycobacterium bovis AN5 and CMP70 ELISA was compared with purified protein derivative (PPD) ELISA. PPD and CMP70 ELISA have shown a positive reaction to the sera of M. bovis infected cattle and IST positive reactors. One of three IST negative cattle showed the nonspecific reaction in PPD ELISA, whereas all of the IST negative cattle (n=3) were did not show the nonspecific reaction in CMP70 ELISA. When each ELISA was applied to sixty-two IST positive cattle, ELISA positive reactors were eighty four per cent to CMP70 antigen and fifty-two per cent to PPD. CMP70 has been shown to be more specific and sensitive than PPD in ELISA.