RESUMO
Monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) were developed for a rapid and efficient screening procedure to detect cultures of Vibrio cholerae serogroup O1. Spleen cells of BALB/c mice previously immunized with an attenuated control strain of V. cholerae were fused with mouse myeloma cell line SP2/0. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to test cultural hybridoma secretions of two MAbs against 120 strains of V. cholerae O1, 38 strains of V. cholerae non-O1, 15 strains of other Vibrio spp., and 20 strains of other bacterial species. Results of tests using both MAbs were identical. The MAbs successfully detected all of the confirmed serotype O1 strains. Three additional V. cholerae strains that agglutinated antisera and the saline control were considered serologically inconclusive. Of these, one was detected as positive for V. cholerae by both MAbs. The MAbs gave no false-positive reactions when tested against the confirmed non-O1 strains, other Vibrio spp., and other bacterial species. Use of this ELISA will enhance the speed and accuracy needed for detecting V. cholerae O1 cultures.
