Evaluation of serologic methods for the detection of antibodies to encephalomyocarditis virus in swine fetal thoracic fluids

Department of Clinical and Population Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, St. Paul 55108.

Hemagglutination inhibition (HI) and agar gel immunodiffusion (AGID) tests were compared to the serum neutralization (SN) test to evaluate their ability to detect antibodies to encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV). Swine fetal thoracic fluids of known EMCV SN antibody titers (200 samples greater than or equal to 1:2, 100 samples less than 1:2) were selected from a collection of field cases. The thoracic fluids were tested for EMCV antibodies by HI and AGID, and the results were compared to those of the SN test. Of 200 SN antibody-positive samples, 183 (91.5%) and 173 (86.5%) were positive in HI and AGID tests, respectively. Of 100 SN-negative samples, 81 (81%) and 94 (94%) were negative in HI and AGID tests, respectively. Agreement between the tests was analyzed by calculating Kappa values. The values were 0.73 between SN and HI tests and 0.77 between SN and AGID tests, indicating very good to excellent agreement for HI and AGID tests with the SN test. Of 200 SN-positive samples, 19 samples with low SN titers (1:2-1:16) were further tested by Western immunoblotting, and all were confirmed as positive. Interpretation of the present results suggests that both HI and AGID tests can be used as alternatives to the SN test.