title: Usability of a gamma interferon release assay in the diagnosis of naturally infected pigs with Mycobacterium avium subspecies hominissuis.
abstract: In the current study, the results of an intradermal tuberculin test and a gamma interferon (IFN-γ) release assay were compared. IFN-γ release assay is based on the detection of IFN-γ production after in vitro stimulation with Mycobacterium avium subsp. avium-specific antigen for the discrimination of pigs naturally infected with M. avium subsp. hominissuis. Fifty-five clinically healthy pigs were used in the study. Three of these were proven by culture and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction methods to be infected with M. avium subsp. hominissuis (2 animals) and Mycobacterium xenopi (1 animal). No animals were positive by the tuberculin test. Both M. avium subsp. hominissuis-positive pigs were evaluated as positive by the IFN-γ release assay. Bacteriologically negative and M. xenopi-positive pigs were unresponsive in the IFN-γ release assay, indicating the specificity of the method. The results suggest that the IFN-γ release assay has a higher sensitivity than the tuberculin test and that the assay can be used for diagnosis of M. avium infections in live, naturally infected pigs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Veterinary Research Institute, Brno, Czech Republic. faldyna@vri.cz
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Faldyna
authors.forename: Eduard
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Göpfert
authors.forename: Hana
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kudlackova
authors.forename: Hana
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Stepanova
authors.forename: Marija
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kaevska
authors.forename: Iva
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Slana
authors.forename: Ivo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Pavlik
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D059425:Interferon-gamma Release Tests / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D009162:Mycobacterium avium / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D013552:Swine; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology*; D014374:Tuberculin Test / Q000662:veterinary*; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*