Abstract
Johnes disease or paratuberculosis is an infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium paratuberculosis and has been described in numerous ruminate species. In cattle, intractable diarrhea, emaciation, and hypoproteinemia in animals older than 19 months characterize the disease. The objectives of this study were to determine the association between severity of histological enteric lesions and the serum absorbed enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) antibody test and comparative efficacy of absorbed ELISA antibody test with histopathological finding of naturally acquired paratuberculosis in the infected dairy cattle of Iran. Fifty mature dairy cows, culled from four M. paratuberculosis-infected herds in Iran were enrolled in this study. Poor physical condition was the major criteria for selection of the cows. Prior to slaughter, blood samples were collected from jugular vein from each animal. All cattle were inspected after slaughter. and samples from 50 cases that showed thickening of different parts of the intestine and enlargement of mesenteric lymph nodes were obtained for histopathological examination. At microscopic examination, specific histopathological characteristics of paratuberculosis were observed in 19 cases. Tuberculoid reactions were observed in five cases, and lepromatous reactions were observed in 14 cases out of the total. Of the total, 19 samples had histopathological finding of paratubercolosis, and only eight animals exhibited a positive antibody response when subjected to an ELISA assessment. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value for absorbed ELISA was 42.1%, 100%, 100%, and 73.8%, respectively.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bannantine JP, Paustian ML, Waters WR, Stabel JR, Palmer MV, Li L, Kapur V (2008) Profiling bovine antibody responses to Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis infection by using protein arrays?†. Infect Immun 76:739–749 doi:10.1128/IAI.00915-07
Boelaert F, Walravens K, Biront P, Vermeersch JP, Berkvens D, Godfroid J (2000) Prevalence of paratuberculosis (Johne’s disease) in the Belgian cattle population. Vet Microbiol 77:269–281 doi:10.1016/S0378-1135(00)00312-6
Colgrove GS, Thoen CO, Blackburn BO, Murphy CD (1989) Paratuberculosis in cattle: a comparison of three serologic tests with results of fecal culture. Vet Microbiol 19:183–187 doi:10.1016/0378-1135(89)90083-7
Collins MT, Sockett DC (1993) Accuracy and economics of the USDA-licensed enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for bovine paratuberculosis. J Am Vet Med Assoc 203:1456–1463
Cox JC, Drane DP, Jones SL, Ridge S, Milner AR (1991) Development and evaluation of a rapid absorbed enzyme immunoassay test for the diagnosis of Johne’s disease in cattle. Aust Vet J 68:157–160 doi:10.1111/j.1751-0813.1991.tb03167.x
Egan J, Weavers E, O’Grady D (1999) An evaluation of diagnostic tests for Johne’s disease in cattle. Ir Vet J 52:86–89
Huntley JFJ, Whitlock RH, Bannantine JP, Stabel JR (2005) Comparison of diagnostic detection methods for Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis in North American Bison. Vet Pathol Online 42:42–51 doi:10.1354/vp.42-1-42
Ikonomopoulos J, Balaskas C, Kantzoura B, Fragiadaki E, Pavlik I, Bartos M, Lukas JC, Gazouli M (2007) Comparative evaluation of positive tests to Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis in clinically healthy sheep and goats in South-West Greece using molecular techniques, serology, and culture. Vet J 174:337–343 doi:10.1016/j.tvjl.2006.09.004
McDonald WL, Ridge SE, Hope AF, Condron RJ (1999) Evaluation of diagnostic tests for Johne’s disease in young cattle. Aust Vet J 77:113–119 doi:10.1111/j.1751-0813.1999.tb11679.x
McGavin MD, Carlton WW, Zachary JF (2001) Thomson’s special veterinary pathology. Mosby, St. Louis
Paolicchi FA, Zumarraga MJ, Gioffre A, Zamorano P, Morsella C, Verna A, Cataldi A, Alito A, Romano M (2003) Application of different methods for the diagnosis of paratuberculosis in a dairy cattle herd in Argentina. J Vet Med B 50:20–26 doi:10.1046/j.1439-0450.2003.00606.x
Reichel MP, Kittelberger R, Penrose ME, Meynell RM, Cousins D, Ellis T, Mutharia LM, Sugden EA, Johns AH, de Lisle GW (1999) Comparison of serological tests and faecal culture for the detection of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis infection in cattle and analysis of the antigens involved. Vet Microbiol 66:135–150 doi:10.1016/S0378-1135(98)00311-3
Rideout BA, Brown ST, Davis WC, Gay JM, Giannella RA, Ii MEH, Hueston WD, Hutchinson LJ (2003) Diagnosis and control of Johne’s disease. Committee on Diagnosis and Control of Johne’s Disease, National Research Council, 244
Sergeant ESG, Whittington RJ, More SJ (2002) Sensitivity and specificity of pooled faecal culture and serology as flock-screening tests for detection of ovine paratuberculosis in Australia. Prev Vet Med 52:199–211 doi:10.1016/S0167-5877(01)00261-6
Sockett DC, Conrad TA, Thomas CB, Collins MT (1992) Evaluation of four serological tests for bovine paratuberculosis. J Clin Microbiol 30:1134–1139
Stabel JR, Whitlock RH (2001) An evaluation of a modified interferon-? assay for the detection of paratuberculosis in dairy herds. Vet Immunol Immunopathol 79:69–81 doi:10.1016/S0165-2427(01)00253-7
Sweeney RW, Whitlock RH, Buckley CL, Spencer PA (1995) Evaluation of a commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the diagnosis of paratuberculosis in dairy cattle. J Vet Diagn Invest 7:488
Willemsen PTJ, Westerveen J, Dinkla A, Bakker D, van Zijderveld FG, Thole JER (2006) Secreted antigens of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis as prominent immune targets. Vet Microbiol 114:337–344 doi:10.1016/j.vetmic.2005.12.005
Acknowledgment
Many thanks to Shahrekord University of Iran and dairy farm of Iran.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Dehkordi, A.J., Karimi, I. & Khosravi, M. A comparison of ELISA and histopathology for the detection of paratuberculosis in dairy cattle. Comp Clin Pathol 18, 413–417 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00580-009-0824-9
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00580-009-0824-9