Development of a sandwich ELISA for quantification of immunoglobulin G in mink blood

A major concern amongst the Danish mink farmers is the incidence of the syndrome pre-weaning diarrhea. The syndrome causes major management issues and decreases the welfare of the mink and increases mortality in the pre-weaning period. The etiology of the syndrome is considered multifactorial as a specific cause is not fully established or understood. Adding to an increased risk of developing pre-weaning diarrhea is the fact that the mink kits are born with very low levels of circulating immunoglobulins. Rapid achievement of high levels of immunoglobulins in the bloodstream is essential for the kits early immunity and thus their resistance against pathogenic agents found in the environment.
This study describes a sandwich ELISA for quantification of the concentration of total immunoglobulin G in mink blood. The ELISA was validated with serum samples from females (n=8) and their kits (litters of 4-12). Preliminary results show that the IgG concentration among kits from the same litter was similar, while litter to litter variation was high.