Value of Fluorescence Polarisation Assay in Comparison to Traditional Techniques in Diagnosis of Porcine Brucellosis

The aim of this study was the evaluation of fluorescence polarisation assay (FPA) in the diagnosis of porcine brucellosis in comparison with Rose Bengal test (RBT), serum agglutination test (SAT), complement fixation test (CFT), 2-mercaptoethanol test, and ELISA. Eight hundred seventeen sera from pigs, including 612 sera from healthy animals, seven sera from Brucella suis bv2 culture positive animals, and 198 sera classified as false positive, originated from confirmatory investigations, were used. All sera from healthy animals, negative in RBT, SAT, CFT, and ELISA were also negative in FPA. All sera positive in serological examination, originated from Brucella infected animals, were also positive in FPA. Among sera classified as false positive almost half of the samples tested (49.49%) reacted positively in FPA. The examinations confirmed the usefulness of FPA in diagnosis of porcine brucellosis, but the method, like the other tests, does not allow resolving the problem of discrimination cross-reacting from specific antibodies.