A passive haemagglutination test for detection of antibodies against mycoplasma mycoides subsp. mycoides using glutaraldehyde-fixed sheep erythrocytes

A simple passive haemagglutination test using the microtitre technique was developed for the detection of antibodies against Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. mycoides infection in cattle. Of the four different concentrations (0.1, 0.2, 0.25 and 0.5%) of glutaraldehyde used for the fixation of sheep erythrocytes, antigens prepared with erythrocytes fixed with 0.2 and 0.25% concentrations of glutaraldehyde gave the best results.The test was found to be very practical, sensitive, specific and reproducible. It also compares favourably with the complement fixation test.