[A comparative evaluation of the sensitivity of different methods for the serological diagnosis of leptospirosis].

In this work the comparative evaluation of the sensitivity and serological specificity of the microcapsular agglutination (MCA) test, the passive hemagglutination (PHA) test and the microagglutination (MA) test are presented. In the MCA test leptospiral antigens, adsorbed on synthetic carrier capsules produced by Japan Lyophilization Laboratory, were used and the PHA test was made with the use of polyvalent erythrocyte diagnosticum. The study of blood serum samples from 46 leptospirosis patients revealed that the values of antibody titers in the PHA and MCA tests were 5.

[Use of microcapsular leptospiral antigens for detecting specific antibodies].

The sensitivity of microcapsular leptospiral antigens, produced by Japan Lyophilization Laboratory and intended for use in tests for the detection of antibodies to leptospires in the sera of experimentally immunized laboratory animals, were studied. The comparative study of the microcapsular agglutination (MCA) test and other serological tests, such as the microagglutination (MA) test and the indirect enzyme immunoassay (EIA), was made. The leptospiral antigens under study were found to actively react with serospecific and group-specific antibodies.

Investigation of hemolytic activity of leptospirae on solid culture media.

Results of investigation of hemolytic activity of leptospirae against red blood cells of various animal species on solid culture media using the technique of agar layers are presented. It has been shown that hemolytic properties of pathogenic and saprophytic leptospirae differ with respect to red blood cells of the sheep, the rabbit, the hamster, the albino rat and the albino mouse. Hemolytic activity of leptospirae regarding the erythrocytes of the cattle, the horse and the fowl depends on the strain of leptospirae.

[The use of direct immunoenzyme analysis with genus-specific peroxidase conjugate in leptospirosis].

For the first time anti-Patoc I peroxidase conjugate was obtained from the serum of a hyperimmunized guinea pig by the method of Nakane and Kawaoi (1974) in the modification of Mathiesen et al. (1978). In the experimental study of 37 Leptospira strains belonging to 19 serological groups, carried out with the use of direct EIA techniques, anti-Patoc I peroxidase conjugate was found to be genus-specific and highly active.