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This article describes the production of monoclonal antibodies against Renibacterium salmoninarum. The study aimed to serologically compare selected isolates of R. salmoninarum using monoclonal antibodies and to produce a monoclonal antibody which could be used for immunodiagnosis. Monoclonal antibody technology makes it possible to analyse specific and cross-reacting antigens among strains of a single bacterial species. Monoclonal antibodies produced against three isolates of R. salmoninarum were analysed for their cross-reactivity among different strains using an indirect ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) and immunofluorescent assay (FA). This work represents the first report of monoclonal antibodies in the serological analysis of R. salmoninarum.

Rapidly growing, non-chromogenic mycobacteria were isolated from salmonid fish at five locations in the states of Oregon and Montana, U.S. Detection of mycobacterial acids and a percentage of guanine plus cytosine value of 63±l-7mol% confirmed that the isolates belong to the genus Mycobacterium. The BAN antiserum reacted with all of the other salmonid isolates showing a high degree of cross reactivity. Titres obtained using ELISA were two- to fourfold higher but followed the same pattern. After adsorption with the other salmonid strains, the BAN antiserum titre was reduced to 1.20 or less. The high antibody adsorbing capacity of the five salmonid strains from the USA with the BAN antiserum demonstrated their antigenic similarity.