Short communication: ELISA system for screening of bovine mastitis caused by Prototheca zopfii.
Prototheca zopfii is an achlorophyllic alga that causes bovine mastitis, resulting in a reduction in milk production and the secretion of thin, watery milk with white flakes. This study evaluated the use of an ELISA system for distinguishing cows with mastitis due to P. zopfii genotype 2 from healthy cows and cows with chronic candidal mastitis. We also investigated the transitional changes of specific antibody titers in healthy cows injected with inactivated P. zopfii genotype 2 cells. The ELISA system exhibited the highest sensitivity (94%) and specificity (100%) for chronic protothecal mastitis when the positive cutoff value was set at 43.4 ELISA units. Anti-protothecal IgG titers were positive in all cows after they were inoculated with inactivated P. zopfii genotype 2 cells. These results indicated that ELISA detection of anti-protothecal IgG in serum provided specificity and sensitivity sufficient for diagnosing protothecal mastitis. Thus, an ELISA system incorporating this specific antiserum is expected to be valuable for definitive field-based diagnosis of bovine mastitis due to P. zopfii genotype 2.
Department of Pathobiology, Nihon University School of Veterinary Medicine, 1866 Kameino, Fujisawa, Kanagawa 252-8510, Japan. Electronic address: kanou.rui@nihon-u.ac.jp.
Rui
R
Kano
Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Rakuno Gakuen University, 582 Midorimati, Bunnkyoudai, Ebetsu, Hokkaido 069-8501, Japan.
Ayano
A
Sato
Department of Pathobiology, Nihon University School of Veterinary Medicine, 1866 Kameino, Fujisawa, Kanagawa 252-8510, Japan.
Hideto
H
Sobukawa
Department of Pathobiology, Nihon University School of Veterinary Medicine, 1866 Kameino, Fujisawa, Kanagawa 252-8510, Japan.
Yuko
Y
Sato
Okazaki Branch of Veterinary Hospital Aichi, Prefectural Federation of Agricultural Mutual Aid Associations (PFAMAA), 91-1, Oike, Hane-cho, Okazaki, Aichi 444-0816, Japan.
Takaaki
T
Ito
Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Rakuno Gakuen University, 582 Midorimati, Bunnkyoudai, Ebetsu, Hokkaido 069-8501, Japan.
Kazuyuki
K
Suzuki
Teikyo University Institute of Medical Mycology, 539 Otsuka, Hachioji, Tokyo 192-0395, Japan.
Atsuhiko
A
Hasegawa
Department of Pathobiology, Nihon University School of Veterinary Medicine, 1866 Kameino, Fujisawa, Kanagawa 252-8510, Japan.
Hiroshi
H
Kamata
D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000662:veterinary; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D007239:Infections / Q000662:veterinary; D008414:Mastitis, Bovine / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008892:Milk; D011525:Prototheca / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*
ELISA; bovine Prototheca mastitis; diagnosis; immunization