Detection of Mycoplasma mycoides sub-species mycoides small colony by a specific capture/enrichment monoclonal antibody-based sandwich ELISA.

The present study describes the development of a specific Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. mycoides Small Colony (MmmSC) monoclonal antibody (MAb), 6E3, and its application in a sandwich ELISA (sELISA) format. Mab 6E3 reacted only to the 12 MmmSC within the 32 M. mycoides cluster strains and 12 representative strains of other bovine, ovine and caprine associated mycoplasmas examined. A capture/enrichment format of the sELISA that combined MAb 6E3 with a previously developed MAb 3H12 that cross reacted with Mmm Large Colony [Rodriguez, F., Ball, H.J., Finlay, D., Campbell, D., Mackie, D.P., 1996. Detection of Mycoplasma mycoides sub-species mycoides by monoclonal antibody-based sandwich ELISA. Veterinary Microbiology 51, 69-76], retained MmmSC specificity and improved the sensitivity from the 1.2x10(7)cfu/ml for a standard 2h capture stage sELISA down to as low as 2cfu/ml for a 72h capture. A low level of false positives (1%) was observed when this assay was applied to 200 bovine respiratory and milk samples submitted for diagnostic investigation. This simple and specific sELISA provides a suitable assay for screening large numbers of samples for CBPP.