An ELISA-disc procedure for antibodies toPseudomonas pseudomallei: application for a serological study of melioidosis in an endemic area

The optimization and development of an ELISA-disc procedure for the detection of antibodies to whole cell surface antigens and purified exotoxin ofPseudomonas pseudomallei is described. Comparison of the serum agglutination test (SAT), the serum based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and the ELISA-disc procedures used on goat and human sera demonstrated a high correlation in their ability to detect antibodies specific forP. pseudomallei antigens. A serological survey using the ELISA-disc method was carried out on a normal human population in Sabah, Malaysia, an area known to be endemic for melioidosis. The prevalances of antibodies towards cell surface antigens and exotoxin ofP. pseudomallei were 28% and 8%, respectively. As a procedure, the ELISA-disc technique reported here is technically simple and provides savings in costs and is thus deemed suitable for seroepidemiological surveillance of melioidosis in remote areas of South-East Asia.