Evaluation of available diagnostic methods for Clostridium piliforme in laboratory rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus)

• Published in: Laboratory animals (London) Vol. 44; no. 1; pp. 14 - 19
• Main Authors: Pritt, S, Henderson, K S, Shek, W R
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London, England SAGE Publications 01.01.2010
• Subjects: Animals; Antibodies, Bacterial - blood; Clostridium - genetics; Clostridium - immunology; Clostridium - isolation & purification; Clostridium Infections - diagnosis; Clostridium Infections - immunology; Clostridium Infections - microbiology; Clostridium Infections - veterinary; DNA, Bacterial - analysis; Feces - chemistry; Feces - microbiology; Female; Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect - veterinary; Heart - microbiology; Intestines - chemistry; Intestines - microbiology; Intestines - pathology; Liver - metabolism; Liver - pathology; Molecular Diagnostic Techniques - methods; Molecular Diagnostic Techniques - veterinary; Myocardium - pathology; Polymerase Chain Reaction - veterinary; Rabbits - microbiology; Serologic Tests; Clostridium piliforme; Tyzzer's disease; rabbit
• ISSN: 0023-6772; 1758-1117
• DOI: 10.1258/la.2009.008079

Recent literature has indicated that animals seropositive for Clostridium piliforme may have negative findings on polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing. This study examines and reports on the results of serology, PCR and histopathology tests performed on a group of 20 laboratory rabbits seropositive for C. piliforme using the latest available diagnostic methodologies. The presence of the organism was not confirmed by either PCR or histopathology in this group of 20 for C. piliforme seropositive rabbits. This presents challenges for laboratory animal veterinarians and scientists wishing to establish the presence of the organism with commonly available diagnostic methods and means that clinical signs of disease in addition to diagnostic results must be interpreted together.