Whittington R J, Connolly J H, Obendorf D L, Emmins J, Grant T R, Handasyde K A
Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Sydney, Private Mail Bag 3, NSW 2570, Camden, Australia.
Vet Microbiol. 2002 Jun 5;87(1):59-71. doi: 10.1016/s0378-1135(02)00004-4.
Mucor amphibiorum, a dimorphic fungus, causes ulcerative dermatitis and systemic infections in the platypus Ornithorhynchus anatinus in some river systems in Tasmania but apparently not in other regions of Australia. As yet there are no suitable tests for population surveys, nor for detection of internal lesions in live animals. Consequently, immunoglobulins were purified from the serum of platypuses and anti-immunoglobulin antisera were prepared in rabbits in order to develop an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for anti-M. amphibiorum antibodies. Antigens from plate-grown cultures resulted in greater signal-to-noise ratios in indirect ELISA than those from broth-grown cultures. Platypuses with clinical ulcerative dermatitis had elevated anti-Mucor antibody levels compared to apparently unaffected individuals. Seroconversion was observed in one animal coincident with the development of cutaneous ulcers. The results suggested that platypuses in affected rivers were exposed to M. amphibiorum at a higher frequency than the occurrence of clinical disease. Some platypuses from New South Wales had elevated antibody levels but these increased significantly with age suggesting exposure to cross-reactive antigens, although exposure to M. amphibiorum cannot be excluded. Further studies are warranted to determine factors that result in progression from infection to disease, the occurrence of the fungus in areas where disease has not been observed and the specificity of antigen used in ELISA.
两栖毛霉是一种双态真菌，在塔斯马尼亚一些河流系统的鸭嘴兽（Ornithorhynchus anatinus）中可引起溃疡性皮炎和全身感染，但在澳大利亚其他地区显然不会出现这种情况。目前尚无适用于种群调查或检测活体动物体内病变的合适检测方法。因此，从鸭嘴兽血清中纯化免疫球蛋白，并在兔体内制备抗免疫球蛋白抗血清，以开发一种用于检测抗两栖毛霉抗体的酶联免疫吸附测定（ELISA）。平板培养物中的抗原在间接ELISA中产生的信噪比高于肉汤培养物中的抗原。与明显未受影响的个体相比，患有临床溃疡性皮炎的鸭嘴兽抗毛霉抗体水平升高。在一只动物身上观察到血清转化与皮肤溃疡的出现同时发生。结果表明，受影响河流中的鸭嘴兽接触两栖毛霉的频率高于临床疾病的发生率。一些来自新南威尔士州的鸭嘴兽抗体水平升高，但这些水平随年龄显著增加，这表明它们接触到了交叉反应抗原，尽管不能排除接触两栖毛霉的可能性。有必要进一步研究以确定导致从感染发展为疾病的因素、在未观察到疾病的地区真菌的出现情况以及ELISA中使用的抗原的特异性。
