Detection of Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) antibodies in oral fluid specimens using a commercial PRRSV serum antibody enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the diagnostic performance of a commercial serum antibody enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) modified to detect anti-Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) antibodies in pen-based oral fluid specimens. Experimental and field oral fluid samples of defined status in reference to exposure of swine with PRRSV were used to derive the kinetics of detectable concentrations of antibody against PRRSV. Immunoglobulin (Ig)M and IgA were readily detected in oral fluid specimens from populations in which PRRSV infection was synchronized among all individuals but not in samples collected in commecial herds. In contrast, IgG was readily detected at diagnostically useful levels in both experimental and field samples for up to 126 days. Estimates of the IgG oral fluid ELISA performance were based on results from testing positive oral fluid samples (n = 492) from experimentally inoculated pigs (n = 251) and field samples (n = 241) and negative oral fluid samples (n = 367) from experimentally inoculated pigs (n = 84) and field samples (n = 283). Receiver operating characteristic analysis estimated the diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of the assay as 94.7% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 92.4, 96.5) and 100% (95% CI: 99.0, 100.0), respectively, at a sample-to-positive ratio cutoff of ≥0.40. The results of the study suggest that the IgG oral fluid ELISA can provide efficient, cost-effective PRRSV monitoring in commercial herds and PRRSV surveillance in elimination programs.

Erysipelothrix spp. genotypes, serotypes, and surface protective antigen types associated with abattoir condemnations.

The objective of the current study was to investigate characteristics of Erysipelothrix spp. from slaughter condemnations. Specimens from 70 carcasses with lesions suspect for swine erysipelas were collected at an abattoir in Iowa from October 2007 to February 2009. Erysipelothrix spp. were isolated from 59 of 70 carcasses (84.3%). Abattoir inspectors classified lesions as acute, subacute, or chronic; 8 of 8 (100%) were acute cases, 31 of 32 (96.9%) were subacute cases, and 20 of 30 (66.6%) were chronic cases that were isolation positive. The following serotypes were identified: 1a (40.7%; 24/59), 2 (49.2%; 29/59), 7 (1/59), 10 (1/59), 11 (1/59), and untypeable (5.1%; 3/59). Serotypes 1a and 2 were identified in pigs with acute, subacute, or chronic clinical manifestations, whereas serotypes 7, 10, and 11 were only present in chronic cases. Fifty-seven of the 59 isolates were determined to belong to E. rhusiopathiae, and 2 of 59 of the isolates were determined to be E. tonsillarum by multiplex real-time polymerase chain reaction. Surface protective antigen (spa) A was detected in all E. rhusiopathiae isolates but not in E. tonsillarum serotypes 7 and 10. The results of the present study indicate that E. rhusiopathiae serotypes 1a and 2 continue to be commonly isolated from condemned pig carcasses and that spaA is the exclusive spa type in U.S. abattoir isolates. Interestingly, E. tonsillarum, thought to be avirulent for swine, was isolated from systemic sites from 3.4% of the carcasses that were negative for E. rhusiopathiae, indicating the potential importance of this genotype in erysipelas pathogenesis.