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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Ames, Iowa » National Animal Disease Center » Infectious Bacterial Diseases Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #92687
Title: PCR IDENTIFICATION OF MYCOBACTERIUM AVIUM IN FORMALIN-FIXED TISSUES

Author
item Miller, Janice
item JENNY, ALLEN - USDA,APHIS,NVSL,AMES,IOWA
item Ellingson, Jay

Submitted to: American College of Veterinary Pathologists Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/26/1998
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: A PCR procedure for identification of Mycobacterium bovis in formalin-fixed ues was adapted to detect M. avium. Tissues from 86 cases of M. avium infection (subspecies unknown) were tested with 5 different primer sets. Primers for a 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene gave the highest detection rate, 71 percent. Sensitivity was greater in avian species (89 percent) than in swine (72 percent) or ruminants(57 percent). An additional 14 tissues from ruminants infected with M. avium, subspecies paratuberculosis, also were examined. Whereas all of these samples were positive with primers for IS900 (specific for paratuberculosis), only 11 were positive for rRNA. We conclude that rRNA primers are suitable for identification of M. avium in non-ruminant species. However, IS900 primers should also be used when testing ruminant tissues to assure maximum sensitivity for subspecies paratuberculosis infections.