ABSTRACT: The accuracy of the latex agglutination-based BIONOR Mono-kits for the rapid detection of different bacterial fish pathogens was evaluated. In addition, the usefulness of these commercial kits was compared with that of conventional slide agglutination techniques using specific monovalent antisera. The Mono-Yr (for detection of Yersinia ruckeri) and Mono-Va (for Vibrio anguillarum) kits specifically detected the isolates belonging to the serotypes included in the kit's composition (serotypes O1, O2, and O3 of each species). Moreover, the Mono-Va kit was also able to detect some strains of the environmental serotypes of V. anguillarum (O4, O5, and O7). The Mono-Pp kit (against Pasteurella piscicida) reacted with all the P. piscicida strains included in this study, with no cross-reactions with other bacterial groups. However, non-specific agglutinations were observed in both, test and negative control reagents, when isolates of V. splendidus or motile Aeromonas were analyzed with the Mono-Va and between some clinical members of the Pasteurellaceae family and the Mono-Pp. The kit for detection of Renibacterium salmoninarum (Mono-Rs) recognized all the strains possessing the predominant p57 antigen, but failed to agglutinate some isolates lacking this surface protein in their cell envelopes. These findings indicate that, although the BIONOR Mono-kits can be easily improved (i.e. including more antigens in heterogeneous groups, changing the inert protein in some of the kits, etc), they are applicable for a rapid screening of the fish pathogens studied. In addition, the kits present an adequate cost-effectiveness ratio, with a simple test performance and interpretation, which make easy their use by aquaculture facilities and laboratories.

KEY WORDS: Latex agglutination kits . Yersinia ruckeri . Vibrio anguillarum . Pasteurella piscicida . Renibacterium salmoninarum

Published in DAO Vol. 21, No. 1 (1995) on February 2
ISSN: 0177-5103. Copyright © Inter-Research, Oldendorf/Luhe, 1995