Production of Brucella abortus Antiserum in Goats and its Comparison with Conventional Rabbit Antiserum

Brucellosis, caused by Brucella species, is common among humans and animals, and is one of the most common infectious diseases in Iran. Several assays are available to detect brucellosis, but serological tests may be the only method used in many laboratories. In Iran, different kits are produced in the Pasteur Institute based on agglutination, such as Rose Bengal and 2-mercaptoethanol (2-ME). The positive antiserum control used in these kits is produced in rabbits. The purposeof this study was to produce the antiserum in goats and to compare the titer, quality, and quantity with the antiserum produced in rabbits. The goat immunization was performed by intramuscular injection. Seven days after the last injection, sera were collected. The produced antibody was used in slide and tube agglutination tests with different antigens. The results indicated that the antiserum, produced by the goats had a high quality and quantity. Slide agglutination test showed positive results at 1/6400 dilution with goat antiserum (4+) and 1/1600 dilution with rabbit antiserum (1+). The application of the goats is a better and more appropriate choice, in terms of both cost and quantity, when a high concentration of serum is required. In addition, one goat can provide a higher amount of antiserum compared to several rabbits.