Introduction: Tularemia is a highly infectious zoonotic disease caused by Gram-negative bacterium Francisella tularensis. The microbiological diagnosis of tularemia is based on bacteriological, molecular and serological investigations. In the present study we compared of usefulness of commercial ELISA Virion/Serion, home-made ELISA and tube agglutination test in serodiagnosis of tularemia.
Methods: Serum samples from 57 patients with clinical symptoms of tularemia, 13 patients with yersiniosis and 20 blood donors were tested. The cut-off limit of IgA, IgG and IgM serum antibodies in home-made ELISA was set at mean antibody titer determined in sera of healthy blood donors exceeded by the three standard deviations. The cut-off for positivity in tube agglutination test was titers 25. The IgG and IgM antibodies to lipopolysaccharides of F. tularensis in Virion/Serion ELISA were measured and results interpreted according to the instructions by the manufacturer.
Results: The results of the study showed that 39 (68.4%) serum samples obtained from the patients suspected for tularemia were positive by tube agglutination test and Virion/Serion ELISA assay for IgG and IgM antibodies. Home-made ELISA was slightly more sensitive and detected the IgA/IgG antibodies in 42 (73.7%) and IgM antibodies in 39 (68.4%) of serum samples. The positive reactions were not detected by the tube agglutination test and home-made ELISA in serum samples from patients with yersiniosis and blood donors. The Virion/Serion ELISA detected IgG antibodies in diagnostically significant level only in one blood donor.
Conclusions: In conclusion, all three serological tests can be successfully used in routine serodiagnosis of tularemia.