Journal of Veterinary Parasitology

A novel slide enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (SELISA), a modification of the standard ELISA technique was used for the first time in detecting antibodies against Trypanosoma evansi in Indian dromedary camels using positive and negative control sera. This test replaces the micro ELISA plate with a micro glass slide fixed with whole Trypanosoma evansi organisms. The end reaction was read microscopically under oil immersion, thereby obviating the need of an ELISA reader. Direct immunostainging of the fixed antigen with sera was followed by incubation with peroxidase labeled anti-camel immunoconjugate in the presence of substrate diamino benzoic acid (DAB). The immunostaning revealed brown coloured surface reactivity in positive cases whereas the organisms remained colourless in negative cases. A total of 90 sera samples from camels in “surra” endemic area of Bikaner, India were examined by SELISA and 60 (66.66%) were found positive for Trypanosoma evansi antibodies.