Brucella Antigen Test Card (Colloidal Gold Method)

Target and Hazard: Brucellosis is caused by bacteria of the genus Brucella (including B. abortus, B. melitensis and B. suis), which can infect cattle, sheep and pigs. It is a serious zoonosis, listed as a Class II animal disease in China and subject to statutory reporting. Infected animals commonly abort, retain the placenta, produce stillbirths and suffer infertility, orchitis and arthritis, causing reproductive failure and losses in livestock production. People can be infected through contact with abortus material, secretions or unpasteurised dairy products and develop undulant fever — a major occupational and public-health concern.

Significance of Testing: The card detects Brucella antigen in samples such as aborted fetuses, vaginal secretions and placenta, allowing on-site confirmation of the pathogen when abortion or other suspicious events occur in a herd. It helps rapidly identify infected animals, isolate them promptly and initiate reporting and control, and is an auxiliary tool for field investigation and pathogen confirmation of brucellosis.

Principle: Colloidal gold immunochromatographic assay (double-antibody sandwich): Brucella antigen in the sample binds gold-labelled antibody, migrates along the membrane and is captured by the specific antibody coated on the test line (T), producing a visible line; the control line (C) confirms reagent and procedure validity.

Performance and Applications: No equipment required; visual reading within 15–20 minutes; samples: aborted fetal tissue, vaginal secretions and placenta; room-temperature storage. Suitable for on-site pathogen investigation of abortion outbreaks by large cattle/sheep farms, primary veterinary stations and animal disease prevention and control institutions; positive results must be reported and confirmed by a laboratory per national regulations. Method: colloidal gold immunochromatographic assay (double-antibody sandwich) | Samples: aborted fetal tissue, vaginal secretions, placenta | Time to result: 15–20 min | Reading: visual assessment of T/C lines — a coloured T line indicates a positive result, C line is the procedural control | Format: tests/box (as stated on the label) | Storage: 2–30 °C, cool and dry; shelf life 18 months | Note: sensitivity, specificity, limit of detection, intra-/inter-assay CV and agreement with reference methods such as bacterial culture are subject to our internal QC report.