title: Development and evaluation of a diagnostic cytokine-release assay for Mycobacterium suricattae infection in meerkats (Suricata suricatta).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Sensitive diagnostic tools are necessary for the detection of Mycobacterium suricattae infection in meerkats (Suricata suricatta) in order to more clearly understand the epidemiology of tuberculosis and the ecological consequences of the disease in this species. We therefore aimed to develop a cytokine release assay to measure antigen-specific cell-mediated immune responses of meerkats.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) were evaluated for the detection of interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) and IFN-γ inducible protein 10 (IP-10) in meerkat plasma. An IP-10 ELISA was selected to measure the release of this cytokine in whole blood in response to Bovigam® PC-HP Stimulating Antigen, a commercial peptide pool of M. bovis antigens. Using this protocol, captive meerkats with no known M. suricattae exposure (n = 10) were tested and results were used to define a diagnostic cut off value (mean plus 2 standard deviations). This IP-10 release assay (IPRA) was then evaluated in free-living meerkats with known M. suricattae exposure, categorized as having either a low, moderate or high risk of infection with this pathogen. In each category, respectively, 24.7%, 27.3% and 82.4% of animals tested IPRA-positive. The odds of an animal testing positive was 14.0 times greater for animals with a high risk of M. suricattae infection compared to animals with a low risk.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results support the use of this assay as a measure of M. suricattae exposure in meerkat populations. Ongoing longitudinal studies aim to evaluate the value of the IPRA as a diagnostic test of M. suricattae infection in individual animals.
authors.affiliation: SAMRC Centre for TB Research; DST/NRF Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Tuberculosis Research; Division of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa.
authors.forename: Charlene
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Clarke
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Epidemiology, Economics and Public Health Group, Royal Veterinary College, Hawkshead Lane, North Mymms, Hertfordshire, AL9 7TA, UK.
authors.forename: Stuart James
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Patterson
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Epidemiology, Economics and Public Health Group, Royal Veterinary College, Hawkshead Lane, North Mymms, Hertfordshire, AL9 7TA, UK.
authors.forename: Julian Ashley
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Drewe
authors.affiliation: SAMRC Centre for TB Research; DST/NRF Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Tuberculosis Research; Division of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa.
authors.forename: Paul David
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: van Helden
authors.affiliation: SAMRC Centre for TB Research; DST/NRF Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Tuberculosis Research; Division of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa.
authors.forename: Michele Ann
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.affiliation: SAMRC Centre for TB Research; DST/NRF Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Tuberculosis Research; Division of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa. sparsons@sun.ac.za.
authors.forename: Sven David Charles
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Parsons
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild; D000906:Antibodies; D001681:Biological Assay; D054357:Chemokine CXCL10 / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D008988:Herpestidae; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D009161:Mycobacterium / Q000145:classification* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D009164:Mycobacterium Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000662:veterinary*
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D054357:Chemokine CXCL10; D007371:Interferon-gamma
keywords: Cytokine; Diagnosis; IP-10; Meerkat; Mycobacterium suricattae; Tuberculosis