Serological response in mares affected by contagious equine metritis 1977.

This research discusses a serum agglutination and antiglobulin test for detecting antibodies to the contagious equine metritis organism in horses. The study proposes a preliminary interpretation of the test results and analyzes data from 66 administered tests.

Research Objective and Method

The primary goal of the research was to devise a method for detecting the presence of antibodies to the contagious equine metritis (CEM) organism in horse serum. The proposed method was the serum agglutination and antiglobulin test, which facilitates the identification of antibodies in the serum that respond to specific antigens.

• The serum agglutination test involves adding serum to a fluid containing the antigen, in this case, the CEM organism. If the antibodies for the CEM are present in the serum, they will react with the antigens in the fluid to form visible clumps or agglutination.
• The antiglobulin test, also known as the Coombs test, is a procedure wherein the serum is coated with antibodies, and then antiglobulin (antibody that reacts with other antibodies) is added. If agglutination occurs, this indicates that antibodies for the CEM organism are within the serum.

Interpretation of Test Results

The researchers proposed a preliminary interpretation of the test results. This likely includes considering factors such as the degree of visible agglutination in the serum agglutination test and the occurrence of agglutination in the antiglobulin test to determine the presence and possibly the quantity of antibodies to the CEM organism.

Analyzing Data from Administered Tests

The findings of the research paper are based on the results of 66 tests administered using their proposed method.

• They performed an analysis on the recurring patterns, performance, and reliability of the serum agglutination and antiglobulin test.
• They aimed to understand the accuracy and consistency of their proposed method, its ability to correctly identify antibodies to the CEM organism, and whether it could be a viable option for detection of the CEM organism in a broader context.