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The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test for the identification of blood-meals of haematophagous insects

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 July 2009

M. W. Service
Affiliation:
Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Department of Medical Entomology, Liverpool, L3 5QA, UK
A. Voller
Affiliation:
London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Gower Street, London, WC1E 7HT, UK
D. E. Bidwell
Affiliation:
The Institute of Zoology, Regents Park, London, NW1 4RY, UK

Abstract

A sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test was developed to detect blood-meals in insects and identify the host fed on. The test proved both sensitive and specific. Very small quantities of fresh blood (about 0·02 μl) can be detected; in practice, this enables blood in mosquitoes which are about three-quarters gravid to be identified. In trials in both Zambia and Britain, positive reactions were easily identified visually; consequently, this enabled the ELISA technique to be used as a routine field test. In addition to those of mosquitoes, blood-meals of a few Culicoides species were also successfully identified.

Type
Original Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1986

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