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An adaptation of the indirect enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) is described for the determination of isotype specific antibodies directed to intact Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans and bacterial sonicates. Sera from nine individuals, with or without diagnosed periodontal disease, have been examined for IgG antibodies to the microorganism. The conditions for the assay have been studied and the ELISA has been compared to bacterial agglutination, indirect immunofluorescence or passive hemagglutination. A positive correlation is noted among the analyses in separating the sera into high, moderate and low antibody activities. However, based upon the highest dilution of the sera that gave positive reactions in the assays, the modified ELISA is 5–50 fold more sensitive than either the microagglutination, indirect immunofluorescence or passive hemagglutination techniques as performed. The ELISA is a sensitive assay that uses small quantities of biological materials to determine isotype specific antibody levels. This assay can provide a means for rapid screening of large numbers of biological samples for antibodies to intact microorganisms.
Bersole et al. (1980) studied this question.