Duration of Serological Response to the Indirect Fluorescent Antibody Test of Cattle Recovered from Thcilcria Parva Infection

Abstract

Using the indirect fluorescent antibody test, a significant antibody titre to Thcilcria parva cell culture schizont antigen was demonstrated until 12–73 weeks (mean 29·7 weeks) after infection in the sera of 35 cattle recovered from experimental East Coast fever. In the same animals a significant titre to T. parva piroplasm antigen was only detected until 7–25 weeks (mean 13·5 weeks) after infection. It is recommended, therefore, that the schizont antigen should be preferred to the piroplasm antigen when the indirect fluorescent antibody test is used in epizootiological studies of East Coast fever.