Development of a western blotting assay to discriminate Brucella spp. and Yersinia enterocolitica O:9 infections in sheep.
Outer membrane proteins (OMPs) of Rev-1 strain of Brucella melitensis were used in a Western blotting assay for the serological diagnosis of brucellosis in ovine sera. Fifty-four sheep sera were tested and divided into the following groups: Group A) n. 9 samples from one sheep that had been experimentally infected with Y. enterocolitica O:9; Group B) n. 10 samples collected from sheep infected with Brucella melitensis and 1 sample from a sheep vaccinated with the Rev 1 strain; Group C) n. 10 samples collected in "officially brucellosis-free" herds; Group D) n. 12 samples classified as "suspicious"; Group E) n. 12 samples classified as "positive". Antibodies were detected by routine tests performed for the diagnosis of brucellosis in serum samples of the sheep infected with Y. enterocolitica O:9 after the 2nd week post infection. In the WB assay, sera of group B recognised a 17 kDa protein, whereas sera of groups A, and D and 9 out of 12 of group E exhibited no reactivity to this protein. The results obtained encourage the use of the WB assay as a confirmatory test for the diagnosis of brucellosis.
Corrente
M
M
Department of Animal Health and Well-Being, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of Bari, Bari, Italy.
Desario
C
C
Greco
G
G
Buonavoglia
D
D
Pratelli
A
A
Madio
A
A
Scaltrito
D
D
Consenti
B
B
Buonavoglia
C
C
D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D015153:Blotting, Western / Q000379:methods; D002006:Brucellosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology / Q000662:veterinary*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D016056:Immunodominant Epitopes / Q000032:analysis; D012756:Sheep; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D015009:Yersinia Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology / Q000662:veterinary*; D015008:Yersinia enterocolitica / Q000302:isolation & purification*
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; D016056:Immunodominant Epitopes