An overview of introducing of different diagnostic tests for human brucellosis in the Republic of Macedonia

Aim. To present various laboratory tests introduced for diagnosis of human brucellosis in the Republic of Macedonia. Methods. Various laboratory tests were implemented in our lab, as screening or confirmatory tests, some in studies some as a routine diagnostic test, such are: - Agglutinations tests: Rose Bengal test (RBT), Slide Agglutinations test, Standard tube test (SAT), Wright test, Antihuman globulin test (Coombs); - 2-Mercaptoethanol test (2 ME); - Complement fixation test (CFT); - Indirect enzyme immunoassayb (ELISA); - Competitive enzyme immunoassay (cELISA); - Fluorescent polarization assay (FPA); - PCR-based assays from peripheral blood samples. Results. Our comparative studies on a number of samples from patients at different stages of the disease showed: - Sensitivity of: culture 17,7%, RBT 96%, SAT 84%, Coombs 86%, 2-ME 46,5%, cELISA 98%, ELISA 98%, FPA 86 %, R.A.P.I.D PCR-56%, and -Specificity of: culture 100%, RBT 97%, SAT 100%, Coombs 100%, cELISA 98%, ELISA 100%, FPA 92%, and R.A.P.I.D PCR 100%. Conclusion. ELISA is the best serology test for diagnosis of human brucellosis. FPA and cELISA are promising tests but need further studies on a larger number of human samples. PCR detection of brucella DNA enables the overcoming of problems and requirements of brucella isolation and identification