Comparison of seven nucleic acid amplification tests for detection of <i>Taylorella equigenitalis</i>

Abstract

Taylorella equigenitalis causes contagious equine metritis. Here we compared seven nucleic acid amplification tests for T. equigenitalis to select a rapid and reliable diagnostic method. The 95% detection limits of each assay varied greatly: real-time PCR had the lowest detection limit (0.77 fg/reaction); those of some of the conventional PCRs (cPCRs) were >100 fg/reaction. In experimentally infected samples, real-time PCR and semi-nested PCR showed the highest positive numbers (33 out of 42 samples), but two of the cPCRs detected only 2 and 7 positive results. Our results indicate that the use of sensitive molecular assays is important for the efficient detection of T. equigenitalis in clinical samples.

Current and Future Advances in the Detection and Surveillance of Biosecurity-Relevant Equine Bacterial Diseases Using Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP)

“…Another group, Boyle et al [ 154 ], compared a previously reported Strangles LAMP assay [ 164 ] detecting the S. equi -specific gene, eqbE , to a real-time PCR assay that detects the seeI gene. However, this assay was not as analytically sensitive as the assay developed by Hobo et al [ 163 ], with a limit of detection of 1 CFU/mL.…”