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Title: SEROLOGICAL DETECTION OF EXPERIMENTAL SALMONELLA ENTERITIDIS INFECTIONS IN LAYING HENS BY FLUORESCENCE POLARIZATION AND ENZYME IMMUNOASSAY

Author
item Gast, Richard
item NASIR,, M. - DIACHEMIX CORP, ILLINOIS
item JOLLEY,, M. - DIACHEMIX CORP, ILLINOIS
item Holt, Peter
item STONE,, H. - COLLABORATOR -USDA-RET.

Submitted to: Proceedings of Southern Conference on Avian Diseases
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/5/2000
Publication Date: 1/16/2001
Citation: Gast, R.K., Nasir,, M.S., Jolley,, M.E., Holt, P.S., Stone,, H.D. 2001. Serological detection of experimental salmonella enteritidis infections in laying hens by fluorescence polarization and enzyme immunoassay. Proceedings of Southern Conference on Avian Diseases.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Detecting infected poultry flocks is an essential element in most programs for controlling the egg-borne transmission of Salmonella enteritidis (SE) to humans. Although bacteriological testing procedures have predominated in most such programs in the U.S., serological methods have been used effectively in several other countries. The present study evaluated the sensitivity and specificity of detection of specific antibodies in the ser of experimentally infected chickens by a fluorescence polarization assay (FPA) using a tracer prepared from the O-polysaccharide of SE and an enzyme immunoassay (ELISA) using an SE flagellin antigen. In 2 trials, groups of laying hens were infected orally with either 1 million or 100 million cfu of SE (phage type 13a) or with 100 million cfu of S. typhimurium. Serum samples were collected before inoculation and at 5 subsequent weekly intervals. Both assays detected a high percentage of hens infected with SE but also identified a substantial number of hens infected with S. typhimurium as seropositive. The FPA demonstrated both superior sensitivity and superior specificity in comparison to the ELISA. The FPA also offered advantages in terms of speed and methodological simplicity.