Tetanus ELISA kit description:

For the quantitative determination of serum antibody response to tetanus toxoid.

The causitive agent of tetanus is the organism Clostridium tetani. This organism and its spores can be
found in a variety of sources such as soil and the intestinal contents of animals. The tetanus toxin, a
product of the infection, is among the most potent poisons known to humans and can induce the disease in any age group of non, or poorly immunized individuals. The determination of tetanus antitoxin in human serum samples has been conveniently carried out by the enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Unlike conventional methods, ELISA's offer increased sensitivity, rapid test results, reduction in costs, and elimination of animal inoculations necessary in other methods.

The micro test wells are coated with tetanus toxoid antigen. During the first incubation with the diluted
patients’ sera, any antibodies which are reactive with the antigen will bind to the coated wells. After
washing to remove the rest of the sample, the Enzyme Conjugate is added. If antibodies have been bound to the wells, the Enzyme Conjugate will then bind to these antibodies. After another series of washes, a chromogen (tetramethylbenzidine or TMB) and a substrate (hydrogen peroxide) are added. If the Enzyme Conjugate is present, the peroxidase will catalyze a reaction that consumes the peroxide and turns the chromogen from clear to blue. Addition of the Stop Solution ends the reaction and turns the blue color to a bright yellow color. The reaction may then be read visually or with an ELISA reader.