Detection of antibodies to Pasteurella multocida by capture enzyme immunoassay using a monoclonal antibody against P37 antigen

As infection with Pasteurella multocida is common in rabbits, an enzyme immunoassay (EIA) was developed for its detection. A murine immunoglobulin G monoclonal antibody was used to capture a 37-kDa polypeptide of P. multocida serotype A:12 in an EIA to detect antibodies to P. multocida. The 37-kDa antigen was selected since it was previously shown to be a major immunogen during P. multocida infection in rabbits. The sensitivity of the P37 EIA, determined with sera from 56 rabbits infected with P. multocida, was 98%. Specificity, evaluated with sera from 62 rabbits from colonies free of P. multocida,was 92%. Titration curves of sera from rabbits immunized with P. multocida serotype A:3 or A:12 coincided, indicating that the P37 EIA was equally efficient in detecting antibodies to the two major serotypes of the organism. Comparison of the P37 EIA with the current serodiagnostic test, a bacterial lysate EIA, revealed relatively good correlation (r = 0.68). However, specificity was greatly improved, as 34% of uninfected rabbits were falsely positive by the lysate EIA whereas only 3% of uninfected rabbits were falsely positive by the P37 EIA. The coefficient of variation for same-day tests was 10%, and that for interday tests was 15%, indicating good reproducibility. The greater sensitivity and specificity of the P37 EIA should significantly enhance diagnostic capability to identify rabbits infected with P. multocida