An assay has been developed to detect antibodies to Staphylococcus aureus in water buffalo milk by flow cytometry. The method was the protein A-deficient strain Wood 46 of S aureus incubated with milk samples and fluorescein-labelled rabbit anti-water buffalo antiserum. The assay can detect antibodies when the pathogen is not detectable by bacterial tests and can determine the antibody titre directly on undiluted samples.