An immunoblot (IB) technique for detecting antibodies to Streptobacillus moniliformis in rat sera was evaluated. Immune sera to three S. moniliformis strains showed a similar reactivity pattern with both autologous and homologous antigens in the 18-87 kDa range. Using a rat S. moniliformis strain as the antigen, a similar reactivity pattern was found with sera from rats infected experimentally with S. moniliformis and sentinels. Two to five proteins were detected in the 32-55 kDa range. Over a period of 2.5 years, 27/133 rat serum panels submitted for routine monitoring yielded one or more S. moniliformis enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)-positive samples. In one of these 27 panels, sera showed an IB reactivity pattern resembling that observed with immune sera and with sera from infected and exposed rats. S. moniliformis was confirmed in the colony by both culture and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Sera from the remaining 26 ELISA-positive serum panels frequently showed activity to a 57 kDa antigen but not more than one antigen was detected in the 32-55 kDa range. We conclude that the IB can be used as a confirmatory test for the detection of S. moniliformis infection in ELISA-positive rats.
Monitoring of rodents for Pasteurellaceae infection may be carried out by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). We tested which of 17 rodent Pasteurellaceae strains were detected by three PCR primer sets. By phylogenetic analysis, 12 strains were assigned to the Rodent cluster and five strains to other clusters, namely the Somnus cluster, Pasteurella sensu stricto, Actinobacillus sensu stricto, the Mannheimia and Rossii cluster. A primer set developed to detect biotype Heyl [Pasteurella] pneumotropica produced amplicons from three strains and appeared specific for this taxon. A primer set developed to detect biotype Jawetz [P.] pneumotropica produced amplicons from the [P.] pneumotropica type strain and two other strains within the Rodent cluster. A primer set as described by Bootz and his co-workers (Bootz F, Kirschnek S, Nicklas W, Wyss SK, Homberger FR. Detection of Pasteurellaceae in rodents by polymerase chain reaction analysis. Lab Anim Sci 1998;48:542-6) for the detection of all Pasteurellaceae indeed detected all bacterial strains examined. Bootz's primer set should be used to monitor rodents for Pasteurellaceae infection by PCR as FELASA recommends the monitoring of rodents for all Pasteurellaceae taxa. Health monitoring reports should specify the primer set(s) used for PCR testing rodents for Pasteurellaceae infection.
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