title: Application of immunoperoxidase-based techniques to detect herpesvirus infection in tortoises.
abstract: Indirect (IIP) and direct (DIP) immunoperoxidase assays were developed for the serological and histological diagnoses of herpesvirus infection in tortoises, respectively. A mouse monoclonal antibody (MAb HL1546), specific for the heavy chain of tortoise IgY, was used as the secondary antibody in the IIP assay. Rabbit polyclonal antisera raised against 2 sucrose gradient-purified tortoise herpesvirus isolates (HV4295/7R/95 and HV1976) were used as primary antibodies for the detection of herpesvirus antigen either in infected cell cultures or in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues. The IIP and DIP assays could detect either the presence of anti-herpesvirus antibody in the plasma of exposed tortoises or the presence of herpesvirus antigen in infected tissues, respectively. Although the IIP test complements the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and the serum neutralization test already available for measuring herpesvirus-specific antibody in tortoises, the DIP test is useful for the histological diagnosis of herpesvirus infection in tortoises.
authors.affiliation: Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610-0126, USA.
authors.forename: F C
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Origgi
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Klein
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Tucker
authors.forename: E R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Jacobson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D006564:Herpesviridae / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000662:veterinary*; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques / Q000662:veterinary*; D014426:Turtles / Q000821:virology*
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000956:Antigens, Viral