Measurement of IgG in equine blood by immunoturbidimetry and latex agglutination.

The study focuses on measuring the level of IgG, a type of immune protein, in horse blood by using techniques like turbidimetric analysis and latex agglutination. It was observed that these techniques produced reliable results, aligning well with other established testing methods, and could be used outside the laboratory setting due to their simplicity and speed.

Measurement Techniques

• The researchers used turbidimetric analysis and latex agglutination to measure IgG levels in equine blood or serum. The turbidimetric analysis quantitatively measures the concentration of IgG, while the latex agglutination provides a qualitative assessment.
• Turbidimetric analysis is a technique that measures the level of turbidity or cloudiness caused by particles in a fluid. In this case, it measures the cloudiness caused by IgG proteins in the equine blood or serum.
• Latex agglutination, on the other hand, is a method of testing the presence or concentration of specific substances. It uses antibody-coated latex beads that clump together or agglutinate in the presence of the target substance, in this case, IgG proteins.

Comparison with Existing Methods

• The results from the turbidimetric analysis correlated well with findings from radial immunodiffusion, indicated by a coefficient of 0.91. Radial immunodiffusion is an immunological procedure used to quantify levels of specific proteins in a sample.
• Similarly, the results from this method also showed a high correlation (r = 0.92) with the concentration of gamma-globulins determined from the serum after being subjected to electrophoresis on cellulose acetate. Electrophoresis is a method used to separate complex mixtures of proteins (like gamma-globulins) based on their size and electrical charge.

Reliability and Usability

• The latex agglutination technique accurately detected foals with serum IgG concentrations of less than 4 g/litre (or whole blood less than 2 g/litre) in 96 per cent of cases. These results indicate a high degree of reliability of the technique.
• Both these methods also offer a quick and simple qualitative test that is suitable for use outside a laboratory setting. Hence, they can be used in places where advanced laboratory equipment may not be readily available.