title: Test performance of three serological assays for the detection of Mycobacterium bovis infection in common warthogs (Phacochoerus africanus).
abstract: Sporadic cases of bovine tuberculosis (bTB) have been reported in warthogs in Southern Africa and confirmed through mycobacterial culture. However, there are no validated ante-mortem tests currently available for bTB in warthogs. In this study, we evaluated the use of three serological assays for the detection of Mycobacterium bovis infection in warthogs; an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using bovine purified protein derivative (PPDb) as a capture antigen (indirect PPD ELISA), as well as two commercial assays, the TB ELISA-VK®and DPP®VetTB Assay. Test performance of these assays was compared using sera from 35 warthogs of known Mycobacterium bovis infection status. All three assays were able to distinguish M. bovis-infected from uninfected individuals with high sensitivity (Se) and specificity (Sp) (indirect PPD ELISA Se: 88%, Sp: 89%; TB ELISA-VK®88%, 79%; DPP®VetTB Assay 75%, 89%, respectively). The assays performed very similarly and the ELISA assays showed the greatest agreement (κ=0.89). These results indicate that M. bovis-infected warthogs develop measurable pathogen-specific humoral responses which can be used to distinguish them from uninfected animals. Therefore, serological assays have value as ante-mortem bTB diagnostic tests in warthogs.
authors.affiliation: DST/NRF Centre of Excellence for Biomedical TB Research, SAMRC Centre for Tuberculosis Research, Division of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, PO Box 241, Cape Town 8000, South Africa.
authors.forename: Eduard O
authors.initials: EO
authors.lastname: Roos
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Wildlife Services, South African National Parks, Kruger National Park, Private Bag X402, Skukuza, 1350, South Africa.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Buss
authors.affiliation: Office of the State Veterinarian, Kruger National Park, PO Box 12, Skukuza 1350, Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, South Africa.
authors.forename: Lin-Mari
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: de Klerk-Lorist
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Wildlife Services, South African National Parks, Kruger National Park, Private Bag X402, Skukuza, 1350, South Africa.
authors.forename: Jennie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hewlett
authors.affiliation: DST/NRF Centre of Excellence for Biomedical TB Research, SAMRC Centre for Tuberculosis Research, Division of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, PO Box 241, Cape Town 8000, South Africa.
authors.forename: Guy A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Hausler
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Wildlife Services, South African National Parks, Kruger National Park, Private Bag X402, Skukuza, 1350, South Africa.
authors.forename: Leana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rossouw
authors.affiliation: Office of the State Veterinarian, P.O. Box 191, Hluhluwe 3960, South Africa.
authors.forename: Alicia J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: McCall
authors.affiliation: Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, PO Box 25, Mtubatuba 3935, South Africa.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cooper
authors.affiliation: DST/NRF Centre of Excellence for Biomedical TB Research, SAMRC Centre for Tuberculosis Research, Division of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, PO Box 241, Cape Town 8000, South Africa.
authors.forename: Paul D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: van Helden
authors.affiliation: DST/NRF Centre of Excellence for Biomedical TB Research, SAMRC Centre for Tuberculosis Research, Division of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, PO Box 241, Cape Town 8000, South Africa.
authors.forename: Sven D C
authors.initials: SDC
authors.lastname: Parsons
authors.affiliation: DST/NRF Centre of Excellence for Biomedical TB Research, SAMRC Centre for Tuberculosis Research, Division of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, PO Box 241, Cape Town 8000, South Africa. Electronic address: miller@sun.ac.za.
authors.forename: Michele A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Miller
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary; D009163:Mycobacterium bovis / Q000276:immunology; D012698:Serologic Tests / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D013019:South Africa; D013552:Swine; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D014373:Tuberculin / Q000276:immunology; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000662:veterinary*
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D014373:Tuberculin
keywords: Bovine tuberculosis; DPP(®) VetTB test; Mycobacterium bovis; PPD ELISA; TB ELISA-VK(®); Warthog