Development of an Indirect ELISA to Detect Humoral Response to Flavobacterium columnare Infection of Channel Catfish,Ictalurus punctatus

ABSTRACT

The humoral antibody response of channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus, to experimental Flavobacterium columnare infection was measured in control (non-infected) and infected (intraperitoneal- and intramuscular-injected) fish by an indirect enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA). The antibody response of the experimentally infected fish was significantly higher (P<0.0001) than that of the non-infected channel catfish by both indirect ELISA and agglutination. The indirect ELISA utilized goat anti-channel catfish IgM and a commercially available rabbit anti-goat IgG enzyme conjugate. The antibody response was directed against a cell-free sonicated antigen preparation derived from live whole F. columnare cells. Indirect ELISA and agglutination results correlated (r² = 0.60) for anti-F. columnare antibody response in experimentally and non-infected fish. We were also able to correlate ELISA and agglutination results of 60 fish naturally infected with F. columnare(r² = 0.76). Indirect ELISA will allow for rapid monitoring of humoral antibody, following natural exposure or vaccination against F. columnare, with a small sample of serum.