A 2-MERCAPTOETHANOL TUBE AGGLUTINATION-TEST FOR DIAGNOSIS OF HEMOPHILUS-PLEUROPNEUMONIAE INFECTION IN PIGS

  • 1 January 1984
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 45  (4) , 715-719
Abstract
A 2-mercaptoethanol (2-ME) tube agglutination (TA) test was developed as an alternative to the complement fixation (CF) test for the detection of antibodies to H. pleuropneumoniae, a causative agent of pleuropneumonia in pigs. Using sera from experimentally infected pigs, herds with confirmed H. pleuropneumoniae infection and from disease-free pigs, the specificity and the sensitivity of the 2-ME-TA test were investigated; results were compared with those obtained using the CF test. The TA test without 2-ME gave 100% nonspecific reaction. The 2-ME-TA test was highly specific and more sensitive than was the CF test. Seemingly, the 2-ME-TA test can be used to monitor herds for H. pleuropneumoniae antibodies instead of the CF test because it was easier to perform. Test procedures for a presumptive herd diagnosis of H. pleuropneumoniae have been proposed.