Qualitative and quantitative detection of aflatoxin B1 in poultry sera by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

An indirect competitive inhibition type enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) has been developed for the detection of aflatoxin B1, in poultry sera. Preincubation of aflatoxin B1, samples with the antibody prior to competition yielded better results in terms of higher sensitivity. After competition, amount of antibody bound to solid phase was measured by incubation with anti-rabbit immunoglobulins coupled with horse raddish peroxidase. Intensity of colour decreased as the amount of free aflatoxin B1, increased. Final detection of aflatoxin B1, was made by (i) visual comparison with standard aflatoxin B1 using dot-ELISA (qualitative) and (ii) by plate-ELISA, where optical density was measured at 492 nm (quantitative). Plate-ELISA was more sensitive than dot-ELISA, with sensitivity limits being 100 fg and 1 pg per 10 μl, respectively. However, due to ease and speed of performance, dot-ELISA has greater potential as a test for the diagnosis of mycotoxicosis at the field level.

Effect of sodium stibogluconate on the status of interleukin-I production in normal & Leishmania donovani infected BALB/c mice.

Sodium stibogluconate, did not bring about significant increase in the production of IL-1, when both specific leishmanial antigen, or non specific Staphylococcus epidermidis was used as stimulus in normal uninfected animals. However, Staph. epidermidis was found to be a better stimulus as it brought about a significant increase (P less than 0.001) in IL-1 production when compared with leishmania antigen. In BALB/c mice infected with L. donovani there was a significant reduction (P less than 0.001) in IL-1 levels on various post infection days irrespective whether Staph. epidermidis or leishmanial antigen was used as stimulus when compared with controls. IL-1 levels were significantly increased (P less than 0.05) when L. donovani infected animals were treated with SSG, after 14 days post infection, irrespective of the stimuli used.

Placental pathology in pre-eclampsia eclampsia syndrome.

Quantitative analysis of placental pathology was carried out on 20 placentae from various grades of pre-eclampsia eclampsia syndrome and 20 placentae from control group. Placental weights were lower in the study group. The gross abnormalities noted were the placental infarcts, retroplacental haematoma and calcification. The striking villous lesions observed in the study group were cytotrophoblastic cell proliferation, thickening of villous basement membrane and paucity of vasculosyncytial membrane and these findings correlated well with the severity of maternal disease. These vascular villous lesions were considered secondary to uteroplacental ischaemia.