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The present study investigates the immunoglobulin-G (IgG) status of camel calves from birth until six months of age in a natural herding situation in East Africa in relation to bodyweight development, disease occurrence and mortality.

An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed for the quantification of cameline IgG (camIgG) in blood serum. The assay was designed as indirect antibody ELISA carried out in 96-well microtitreplates. The required anti-camIgG-antibodies were raised by immunisation of layer hens with camIgG, and were subsequently extracted from the egg-yolk by the polyethylenglycol-ethanol precipitation method ofPolson. A detailed description ofthe assay is part of the present work. The ELISA proved a practicable, robust and reliable laboratory method for the quantification of camIgG in blood serum. Possible further applications lie in identifying diagnostic thresholds for failure of transfer of antibodies in camels and calibrating and validating diagnostic field tests, which then allow the rapid determination ofthe IgG status ofnewborn camels in the field.