title: In-situ hybridization for the detection and identification of Histomonas meleagridis in tissues.
abstract: For use in an in-situ hybridization method, three probes (HM, TR and BL) were designed to hybridize, respectively, with (1) Histomonas meleagridis, (2) Tetratrichomonas gallinarum, and (3) a broad range of micro-organisms, including Blastocystis spp. Mono-eukaryotic cultures were used to test the specificity of the three oligonucleotides and to optimize the hybridization procedure before applying the probes to archived samples of various tissues and to a culture of Trichomonas gallinae. Specific detection of H. meleagridis was possible with the HM probe, but the other two probes were less specific. The TR probe detected members of the Trichomonadidae (Tetr. gallinarum and Tr. gallinae). Positive signals from a great variety of microorganisms, including fungi and protozoa from different animal species, were obtained with the BL probe. However, neither H. meleagridis nor the two members of the Trichomonadidae mentioned above were detected with this probe, allowing the exclusion of these parasites. Use of the three probes makes possible the accurate detection of H. meleagridis and its distinction from other micro-organisms in tissue samples.
authors.affiliation: Clinic for Avian, Reptile and Fish Medicine, Department for Farm Animals and Herd Management, University of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinärplatz 1, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Liebhart
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Weissenböck
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hess
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D056890:Eukaryota / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D017403:In Situ Hybridization / Q000379:methods*; D015345:Oligonucleotide Probes / Q000737:chemistry; D016612:Paraffin Embedding; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000469:parasitology*; D011529:Protozoan Infections, Animal / Q000175:diagnosis*; D016053:RNA, Protozoan / Q000032:analysis; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014422:Turkeys
chemical_list: D015345:Oligonucleotide Probes; D016053:RNA, Protozoan