Development of an ELISA to detect Pasteurella piscicida in culture and in “spiked” fish tissue

An enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed to detect the presence of Pasteurella piscicida. The test, after the preparation of the solid phase, takes less than 4 h to complete and the same technique can be applied for both bacteria in culture and in tissue. The limit of sensitivity for bacteria in culture was IO’ cells ml ’ or 10’ cells well ‘, if a plate reader is available or 10’ cells ml-’ (IO3 cells well- ‘> visually. Similar sensitivity was achieved (IO’ cells well-’ with a plate reader, IO’ cells well- ’ visually) when the ELISA was performed on tissue. The technique is specific and it offers a rapid, early and sensitive means of diagnosing Pasteurellosis during outbreaks and screening large populations of fish for the presence of P. piscicida. 0 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.