avian & livestock assay data sheet
Mycoplasma suis
Test
code: B0109
- Ultrasensitive qualitative detection of
Mycoplasma suis by real time polymerase chain
reaction.
Mycoplasma suis, previously known as
Eperythrozoonosis suis
or Mycoplasma haemosuis,
is an obligate intracellular bacteria. The organism is
approximately 0.8 to 1.0 um in diameter but may be larger during
the acute stage of infection. It is predominantly coccoid-shaped
but may appear rod or ring-shaped when viewed on an
erythrocyte’s cell membrane.
Infection with M. suis can
occur in all age groups of swine but symptoms occur mostly in
young growing pigs. Disease symptoms include listlessness,
fever, anorexia, hemolytic anemia and, in severe cases,
jaundice. Serologic survey shows that exposure to this bacterial
infection is less than 15% among swine populations, and only a
small number of outbreaks have been reported. The outbreaks
usually occur when animals are stressed.
However, many adult pigs could be carriers, as infection in this age
group is usually subclinical. Since the disease occurs more
frequently in the summer, mosquitoes and biting flies, as well
as the hog louse (Haematopinus
suis), are suspected to be vectors of transmission. The use
of contaminated surgical instruments including castration
knives, and needles used repeatedly during vaccination, can also
transmit the bacteria.
Direct examination of blood smears has been used to diagnose this
disease, but this method has a low sensitivity and is not very
specific. Serologic testing is slow, and cross-reactivity with
other Mycoplasma species can cause false positive serology results.
Molecular detection by polymerase chain reaction is highly
specific and sensitive, and is rapid. PCR detection of this
bacterium is now considered the method of choice (Ritzmann et
al., 2009).
Utilities:
-
Help confirm the disease causing agent
-
Shorten the time required to confirm clinical diagnosis
of
M. suis infection
-
Help ensure that herds are free of M. suis
-
Early prevention of spread of M. suis among and
between herds
-
Minimize human exposure to these bacteria
-
Safety monitoring of biological products that derive from
pigs
References:
Ritzmann, M., Grimm, J., Heinritzi, K., Hoelzle, K. and Hoelzle,
L.E. (2009) Prevalence of
Mycoplasma suis in slaughter pigs, with correlation of PCR
results to hematological findings. Vet. Microbiol. 133:84–91.
Preferred specimen:
0.2 ml feces; or fecal swab; or oral swab; or 0.2 ml whole blood in EDTA
(purple top) tube; or 0.2 ml fresh, frozen or fixed tissue;
or 0.2 ml cell culture; or environmental swab.
Contact Zoologix if advice is needed to determine an appropriate specimen type for a specific diagnostic application. For specimen types not listed here, please contact Zoologix to confirm specimen acceptability and shipping instructions.
For all
specimen types, if there will be a delay in shipping, or during
very warm weather, refrigerate specimens until shipped and ship
with a cold pack unless more stringent shipping requirements are
specified. Frozen specimens should be shipped so as to remain
frozen in transit. See shipping
instructions for more information.
Turnaround time:
2 business days
Methodology:
Qualitative real time PCR
Normal range:
Nondetected