Development and application of a microneutralization ELISA for the detection of antibodies to bovine respiratory syncytial viruses

Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada.

A microneutralization enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed to detect specific antibodies to bovine respiratory syncytial viruses (BRSVs) in cattle sera using a monoclonal antibody to the fusion protein of the virus. Serum from 20 naturally exposed, 24 experimentally infected, and 15 immunized cattle were evaluated using 3 different BRSV isolates. Antibody titers determined with the microneutralization ELISA were compared with those derived from a classical virus neutralization assay, an indirect ELISA, and a fusion inhibition assay. These studies demonstrated a high degree of correlation (usually 0.90) among the assays. Furthermore, the results showed that immunization of cattle with one isolate (subgroup) of BRSV induced antibody responses that cross-reacted with at least 2 disparate isolates. These results document the utility of the microneutralization ELISA in assessing functionally important antibody responses to BRSVs in cattle.