Development of a novel fluorescent microbead-based immunoassay and comparison with three enzyme-linked immunoassays for detection of anti-Erysipelothrix spp. IgG antibodies in pigs with known and unknown exposure

► An Erysipelothrix spp. fluorescent microbead-based immunoassay (FMIA) based on the SpaA protein was developed. ► The FMIA was found to be specific and sensitive on sera from experimentally-exposed pigs. ► The results were comparable with those from an ELISA based on the same SpaA protein. ► The sensitivity of the FMIA was higher when compared to two commercially available ELISAs.