Use of the protective antigen of Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae in the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and latex agglutination.

To establish a safe and convenient serodiagnostic method for swine erysipelas, a purified protective protein antigen of Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae, which included a large amount of protective protein (64 kDa protein), was used for enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and the latex agglutination (LA) test. In the ELISA, the antisera to four different serovars (1a, 2, 5 and 20) of E. rhusiopathiae exhibit a positive reaction, while antisera to other species of bacteria (Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus suis, Rhodococcus equi and Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis) exhibit a negative reaction. In the LA test, the antisera to three different serovars (1a, 2 and 5) of E. rhusiopathiae reacted with P64-sensitized latex beads, while the antiserum to serovar 20 (2553 strain) did not. Moreover, the antisera to other species of bacteria (Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus suis, Rhodococcus equi and Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis) did not in this test. Comparing the results of the growth agglutination (GA), ELISA and LA tests of 284 swine sera, there was a high degree of correlation among the results. The detection of anti-E. rhusiopathiae antibodies in the GA, ELISA and LA tests were compared using sera from pigs immunized with P64, alkaline extract (AE) and live-cell vaccine (LV). In all three tests, anti-E. rhusiopathiae antibodies could be detected 1 week after immunization. The serum antibody titre as determined by the LA test increased moderately, as did that by the GA test, while that determined by ELISA increased rapidly. These results suggested that ELISA could be used to monitor changes in anti-E. rhusiopathiae antibody titre and the LA test could be used in the screening test for swine erysipelas.