title: The Hybrid II assay: a sensitive and specific real-time hybridization assay for the diagnosis of Theileria parva infection in Cape buffalo (Syncerus caffer) and cattle.
abstract: Corridor disease is an acute, fatal disease of cattle caused by buffalo-adapted Theileria parva. This is a nationally controlled disease in South Africa and strict control measures apply for the movement of buffalo, which includes mandatory testing for the presence of T. parva and other controlled diseases. Accurate diagnosis of the T. parva carrier state in buffalo using the official real-time hybridization PCR assay (Sibeko et al. 2008), has been shown to be affected by concurrent infection with T. sp. (buffalo)-like parasites. We describe the Hybrid II assay, a real-time hybridization PCR method, which compares well with the official hybridization assay in terms of specificity and sensitivity. It is, however, not influenced by mixed infections of T. sp. (buffalo)-like parasites and is as such a significant improvement on the current hybridization assay.
authors: Parasites, Vectors and Vector-Borne Diseases, Agricultural Research Council-Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute, Onderstepoort, 0110, South Africa.
authors: Ronel
authors: R
authors: Pienaar
authors: Parasites, Vectors and Vector-Borne Diseases, Agricultural Research Council-Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute, Onderstepoort, 0110, South Africa.
authors: Fred T
authors: FT
authors: Potgieter
authors: Parasites, Vectors and Vector-Borne Diseases, Agricultural Research Council-Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute, Onderstepoort, 0110, South Africa.
authors: Abdalla A
authors: AA
authors: Latif
authors: Parasitology Research Program, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of the Free State Qwaqwa Campus, Private Bag X13, Phuthaditjhaba, 9866, South Africa.
authors: Oriel M M
authors: OM
authors: Thekisoe
authors: Parasites, Vectors and Vector-Borne Diseases, Agricultural Research Council-Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute, Onderstepoort, 0110, South Africa.
authors: Ben J
authors: BJ
authors: Mans
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002020:Buffaloes / Q000469:parasitology*; D002353:Carrier State / Q000662:veterinary; D002417:Cattle; D060085:Coinfection / Q000662:veterinary; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization / Q000379:methods*; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016415:Sequence Alignment / Q000662:veterinary; D013019:South Africa; D016797:Theileria parva / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D013801:Theileriasis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000469:parasitology