Abstract Extract The complement fixation (CF) test has been used for the diagnosis of Brucella ovis infection in sheep by several workers (Clapp, 1955 Biberstein, E. L. and McGowan, B. 1958. Epididymitisin rams. Studies on laboratory diagnosis. Cornell Vet., 48: 31–44. [Google Scholar], 1961 Biberstein, E. L., MoGowan, B., Olander, H. and Kennedy, P. C. 1964. Epididymitis in rams. Studies on pathogenesis. Cornell Vet., 54: 27–41. [PubMed] , [Google Scholar]; Biberstein and McGowan, 1958 Casey, H. L., Kokko, U. P., Schubert, J. H. and Woodworth, H. C. 1965. Standardized diagnostic complement fixation method and adaptation to micro-test, Publ. Hlth Monogr. 74 Washington D.C.: U.S. Publ. Hlth Serv.. [Google Scholar]; Biberstein et al, 1964 Clapp, K. H. 1955. A complement fixation test for the diagnosis of ovine brucellosis with special reference to epididymitis. Aust. vet. J., 31: 27–28. [Google Scholar]; Ryan, 1964 Clapp, K. H. 1961. A comparison of various antigens used in the complement fixation test for ovine brucellosis. Aust. vet. J., 37: 188–190. [Google Scholar]; Gorrie, 1964 Gorrie, C. J. R. 1964. Part II: The complement fixation test for ovine brucellosis. Vict. vet. Proc.1963–64, : 58–59. [Google Scholar], 1968 Gorrie, C. J. R. 1968. Control of ovine brucellosis with special reference to epidemiology. Vict. vet. Proc.1967–68, : 53–56. [Google Scholar]; Hughes and Claxton, 1968 Hughes, K. L. and Claxton, P. D. 1968. Brucella ovis infection. 1. An evaluation of microbiological, serological and clinical methods of diagnosis in the ram. Aust. vet. J., 44: 41–47. [Crossref], [PubMed], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]). When the CF test described by Clapp (1961) Imam, Z. E. and Alfy, L. 1966. Elimination of the anticomplementary reaction of the sera by CO2. J. Egypt Publ. Hlth Ass., 41: 33–36. [Google Scholar] was used in a study of natural and experimental infections in rams (Ris, 1964 Kabat, E. A. and Mayer, M. M. 1948. Experimental Immunochemistry, 107–107. Springfield, Ill: Thomas. [Google Scholar]), it was found that some rams excreting Br. ovis organisms in their semen had no detectable CF titres. This occurred some 6 months after initial infection when the rams had been serologically positive for at least 2 months. However, CF antibodies were again detected after an interval which varied from 2 weeks to 3 months.
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