Prevalence of Potentially Pathogenic Enteric Organisms in Clinically Healthy Kittens in the UK

2009 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 655-662 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adam G. Gow ◽  
Deborah J. Gow ◽  
Edward J. Hall ◽  
Debra Langton ◽  
Chris Clarke ◽  
...  

Faecal samples were collected from 57 clinically healthy kittens presented for initial vaccination, in the UK. Routine bacteriological examination identified Salmonella species in one and Campylobacter species in five samples. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) detected the presence of Campylobacter species in a further four samples. Routine parasitological examination revealed Toxocara species ova in nine (including four kittens stated to have been administered an anthelmintic) and Isospora species in four samples. No Giardia or Cryptosporidium species were detected by routine methods. A Giardia species enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test kit designed for use in cats was positive in three kittens. A similar test kit designed for use in humans was negative in all samples and produced negative results even when known positive samples were tested. Potentially pathogenic enteric organisms were detected in 19 kittens by routine methods and 26 (prevalence 45%) by all methods. The high prevalence in asymptomatic kittens highlights the possibility that the detection of these organisms in kittens with gastrointestinal disease may be an incidental finding.

Author(s):  
Omid Nekouei ◽  
Paolo Martelli ◽  
Sophie St-Hilaire ◽  
Hui Suk Wai ◽  
Karthiyani Krishnasamy ◽  
...  

Rabies is a fatal zoonotic disease that can affect all mammals. Following the directives of the rabies ordinance of the Government of Hong Kong, all wild macaques captured under an ongoing sterilization program (since 2000) were vaccinated against rabies. The main objective of this study was to assess the serological response to rabies vaccination in the population of Hong Kong macaques. An inactivated rabies vaccine was subcutaneously administered to captured macaques under anesthesia. In a 2015 field survey, blood samples from the animals were collected and stored in -80℃ freezer. In July 2021, all frozen sera from vaccinated animals were prepared and tested for antibodies against rabies virus using a commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test. The test results were dichotomized at the recommended cut-off point of the test kit. Sixty-five samples from the vaccinated macaques were available for this study. All of these animals had received at least one dose of vaccine (1 vaccination) between 2008 and 2015. The interval between the 1 vaccination and blood sampling dates ranged from 21 to 2,779 days. Only five of the 65 macaques had a second vaccination record at the time of sampling; all five had high antibody levels. Among the remaining macaques, 77% (46/60) were positive for rabies antibodies. No specific association was observed between the post-vaccination period and the antibody titer of these macaques and no adverse reactions to vaccination were reported. The current vaccination strategy in Hong Kong macaques appears to effectively elicit rabies antibodies in a high proportion of macaque populations in the wild (78-87%). However, reaching the precise level of protection against a potential challenge with the virus should further be investigated.


1994 ◽  
Vol 77 (2) ◽  
pp. 466-472 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patricia P McDonald ◽  
Richard E Almond ◽  
James P Mapes ◽  
Stephen B Friedman

Abstract Polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are chemicals of concern when they contaminate the environment. Current detection methods (gas chromatography and liquid chromatography) are laborious, time consuming, and expensive. As an alternative, we developed a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit that can be used on site for the detection of PAHs at 1 ppm in soil. The immunoassay kit includes all the components necessary to conduct the analysis in the field. The test consists of 3 major steps: (1) sample treatment; (2) immunoassay, in which the target compound is bound by a specific antibody followed by the development of an indicator color; and (3) interpretation of results. A sample that develops less color than the standard is interpreted as positive (soil sample contaminated with PAHs at ≥1 ppm). Validation studies demonstrated that the assay is sensitive and specific. The assay detects PAH contamination in soil at 1 ppm or greater and specifically detects the 3- and 4-ringed aromatics and most of the 5-and 6-ringed aromatics. PAH-free soil samples gave negative results in the assay at a confidence level of >95%. Matrix effects, interperson, and interlot variations were minimal. The test requires <25 min to complete. The test kit is field compatible and provides a cost effective method for screening soils at risk for PAH contamination.


1990 ◽  
Vol 73 (3) ◽  
pp. 425-428
Author(s):  
Mary W Trucksess ◽  
Kathryn Young ◽  
Kevin F Donahue1 ◽  
Deborah K Morris ◽  
Ernie Lewis

Abstract Three different methods were compared for the determination of total flatoxins in corn and peanuts naturally contaminated with aflatoxins and In corn, peanuts, cottonseed, peanut butter, and poultry feed spiked with aflatoxins Bi, B2, and d . The 3 methods were an enzyme-linked Immunosorbent assay (ELISA) screening test; a monoclonal antibody-affinity column-solld-phase separation method; and the AOAC official thin-layer chromatography (TLC) methods for all except poultry feed, for which Shannon's TLC method for mixed feed was used. The ELISA test is designed to provide only positive results for total aflatoxins at >20 ng/g or negative results at <20 ng/g. The affinity column separation Is coupled with either brominatlon solution fluorometry to estimate total aflatoxins or liquid chromatography (LC) to quantltate Individual aflatoxins. Fluorodensitometry was used to determine aflatoxins In commodities analyzed by the TLC methods. The LC and TLC results were In good agreement for all the analyses. The results for the affinity column using brominatlon solution fluorometry were similar except those for cottonseed, which were about 60% higher. The ELISA screening method correctly Identified naturally contaminated corn and peanut positive samples. No false positives were found for controls. The correct response for spiked corn, raw peanuts, peanut butter, and cottonseed at >20 ng aflatoxlns/g was about 90%. The correct response for spiked poultry feed at >20 ng aflatoxlns/ g was about 50%.


2001 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 314-319 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mette Aagaard Strid ◽  
Jørgen Engberg ◽  
Lena Brandt Larsen ◽  
Kamilla Begtrup ◽  
Kåre Mølbak ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was adapted to measure immunoglobulin G (IgG), IgM, and IgA classes of human serum antibody toCampylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli. Heat-stable antigen, a combination of C. jejuni serotype O:1,44 and O:53 in the ratio 1:1, was used as a coating antigen in the ELISA test. A total of 631 sera from 210 patients with verifiedCampylobacter enteritis were examined at various intervals after infection, and a control group of 164 sera were tested to determine the cut-off for negative results. With a 90th percentile of specificity, IgG, IgM, and IgA showed a sensitivity of 71, 60, and 80%, respectively. By combining all three antibody classes, the sensitivity was 92% within 35 days after infection, whereas within 90 days after infection, a combined sensitivity of 90% was found (IgG 68%, IgM 52%, and IgA 76%). At follow-up of the patients, IgG antibodies were elevated 4.5 months after infection but exhibited a large degree of variation in antibody decay profiles. IgA and IgM antibodies were elevated during the acute phase of infection (up to 2 months from onset of infection). The antibody response did not depend on Campylobacter species or C. jejuniserotype, with the important exception of response to C. jejuni O:19, the serotype most frequently associated with Guillain-Barré syndrome. All of the patients infected with this serotype had higher levels of both IgM (P = 0.006) and IgA (P = 0.06) compared with other C. jejuni and C. coli serotypes.


1996 ◽  
Vol 32 (5) ◽  
pp. 397-400
Author(s):  
SD Babyak ◽  
MG Groves ◽  
DS Dimski ◽  
J Taboada

An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test kit for the detection of feline leukemia virus (FeLV) antigen in saliva was evaluated in 150 cats. Saliva and blood samples from all cats were tested for FeLV using the saliva ELISA kit and a plasma ELISA kit, respectively. These results were compared with indirect immunofluorescent antibody (IFA) testing of blood smears also obtained from each cat. The proportion of cats that tested positive were 10%, 7%, and 8% for each test, respectively. Using the IFA test as the gold standard, the saliva FeLV test had a sensitivity of 91.7% and specificity of 97.1%, while the plasma ELISA test had a sensitivity of 91.7% and specificity of 100%.


Author(s):  
Rhoda Leask ◽  
Albertha M. Botha ◽  
Gareth F. Bath

In July 2006, a case of two out of three lambs born to one ewe in a flock of 45 had signs that, in retrospect, were possibly consistent with Schmallenberg virus infection. This occurred in the Onderstepoort area (Gauteng Province) but a definitive diagnosis was not made. Then, in May 2008, a farmer in the Delmas area (Mpumalanga Province) reported that deformed lambs had been born to several ewes in the flock. Six of the approximately 50 mated ewes gave birth to lambs showing varying degrees of arthrogryposis, torticollis, kyphosis, mandibular brachygnathia and hydrocephalus. Of these, only two were born alive but they died within a few hours. Blood was collected from the ewes with deformed lambs, a random sample of ewes that had given birth to normal lambs and a lamb that was normal but had a twin that was deformed. The samples were tested for Wesselsbron and Akabane antibodies using a complement fixation test and a haemagglutination/haemagglutination inhibition test that were available at that time. Bluetongue virus antibodies were also tested for using a commercial Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test. All samples showed negative results for all diseases tested. At the time Rift Valley fever virus had not been diagnosed in that region for many years and so it was not included in the testing. It is unlikely that this was the cause as no liver pathology was detected on postmortem examination of the lambs and no adult ewes had died. The farmer reported that another farm just a few kilometres away experienced the same deformities in some of their lambs but this farm was not investigated. During investigation it was thought that the cause was possibly a new strain of Akabane virus, although there was no way to confirm it. However, with the recent discovery of the Schmallenberg virus, it is possible that this virus has been present in South Africa for at least the last four years without being identified.


Parasitology ◽  
1992 ◽  
Vol 104 (1) ◽  
pp. 25-31 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. L. K. Wee ◽  
L. C. Ho ◽  
E. H. Yap ◽  
M. Singh

SUMMARYA murine monoclonal antibody which reacts to 22 and 41 kDaToxoplasma gondiisurface antigens was employed in an IgM capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). A total of 125 patients' sera were tested in the monoclonal-based assay. When compared with a commercial ELISA test (Abbott Toxo-M EIA) which uses polyclonal anti-T. gondiiantibodies, good correlation (Pearsons coefficientr= 0.91) was observed. The specificity of the assay was studied by testing a panel of control sera obtained from healthy individuals and blood transfusion donors; all sera gave negative results. Serum samples positive forT. gondiiantibodies were treated with 2-mercaptoethanol (2-ME) to demonstrate the specificity of the test for IgM antibodies. Reactivity of these sera was lost after the treatment. The test is not subject to interference by rheumatoid factor as sera positive for rheumatoid factor were negative in the assay. Reproducibility was good with the coefficients of variation for within-day tests below 10% and not exceeding 18% for day-to-day tests. The monoclonal-based assay is simple to perform and appears to be a viable test for diagnosis ofT. gondiiinfection.


Agro-Science ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 37-42
Author(s):  
C.R. Unigwe ◽  
O.M. Shobowale ◽  
F. Enibe ◽  
J.O. Ajayi ◽  
S.A. Koleosho

A study was conducted at Ido and Atiba Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Oyo State, Nigeria, to investigate the prevalence of Newcastle disease  (ND) using Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) techniques. A total of 376 normal feathered local chickens were sampled by collecting 2 ml of blood from each bird. Sera that emanated from them were subjected to detection of ND antibodies using ELISA test kit. The data collected were analyzed by inferential statistics. The results showed that the prevalence of ND as 11.70% and 15.43% at Ido and Atiba LGAs, respectively. Adult males showed higher prevalence as compared to adult females in the two LGAs. Meanwhile the prevalence of ND in adults was higher than in the young in Ido but the reverse at Atiba LGA. Combined prevalence was averaged at 13.56% in the two LGAs. The combined results further showed that males (8.24%) were more susceptible to ND than females (5.32%) just like adults (7.45%) were more susceptible than the growers (6.11%). It can be concluded that ND is prevalent in the study areas. It can therefore be recommended that vaccination of local chickens should be vigorously  implemented since they are in the common environment/space with intensively managed birds to avert cross infection. Key words: antibodies, ELISA, local chickens, Newcastle disease, prevalence


Author(s):  
N. Abu Samraa ◽  
C.M.E. McCrindle ◽  
B.L. Penzhorn ◽  
B. Cenci-Goga

Serum samples from 600 sheep were collected from 5 different provinces randomly chosen in South Africa. Two sheep abattoirs (representing formal slaughter of sheep) and 1 rural location (representing informal slaughter of sheep) per province were also selected randomly. The serum samples were tested for anti-Toxoplasma gondii IgG antibodies using 2 different serological tests : an indirect fluorescent antibody (IFA) test and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test available as a commercial kit. This study provides the first published data on seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis in sheep in South Africa, although positive titres have been found previously in wild felids, ferrets, chinchillas and a dog. Data on seroprevalence in sheep is considered important because consumption of mutton is universally considered to be a source of zoonotic transfer to humans. Seroprevalence in humans in South Africa was previously found to be 20% and it is postulated that this may be linked to the informal slaughter and consumption of mutton. During this study, the overall national seroprevalence per province in sheep was found to be 5.6 % (IFA) and 4.3 % (ELISA), respectively. This is lower than in other countries, possibly because South Africa has an arid climate. Differences in seroprevalence in different areas studied suggested an association with the climate and a significant correlation (P > 0.05) was detected between the prevalence of T. gondii and the minimum average temperature. The seroprevalence was found to be significantly higher (P < 0.01) in sheep originating from commercial farms (7.9 %) than in rural sheep in the informal sector (3.4 %). Also, sheep managed extensively had a seroprevalence of 1.8 %, which was significantly lower (P < 0.05) than the seroprevalence in sheep under semi-intensive or intensive management systems (5.3 %). An incidental finding of interest was the considerable movement of sheep to abattoirs and mutton after slaughter. The highest consumption of mutton was in the Western Cape Province (29.9 %) while the highest concentration of sheep is found in the Eastern Cape Province (30.1 %).


1994 ◽  
Vol 112 (2) ◽  
pp. 385-391 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. E. Ortiz ◽  
G. R. Smith

SUMMARYBotulism due toClostridium botulinumtype C causes considerable mortality in gulls in the UK, and refuse disposal sites are suspected as a major source of toxin.C. botulinumtypes B, C and D were each found in 12 (63.2%) of 19 landfill sites examined. Type E was detected in only one (5.2%) and types A, F and G were not found. The prevalence of type C spores was much higher than that demonstrated in the UK environment by earlier surveys. The presence of these spores, together with the rotting organic matter and generated heat associated with landfill sites, undoubtedly leads to bacterial proliferation and toxigenesis. This is likely to result in botulism in scavenging gulls unless skilled landfill management prevents the ingestion of toxic material. Type D spores were previously shown to be rare in the UK environment and their high prevalence on landfill sites was therefore surprising. Four composite samples of refuse collected before distribution on a landfill gave negative results forC. botulinumand it seems likely that the gulls themselves play a major role in introducing contamination.


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