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Objective--To evaluate the usefulness of an antibody detection ELISA and protein electrophoresis (PE) for diagnosing Encephalitozoon cuniculi (ECUN) infection in pet rabbits. Animals--203 pet rabbits. Procedures--Serum and plasma samples from pet rabbits were submitted from veterinary clinics within the United States. Participating veterinarians completed a questionnaire that was used to classify rabbits as clinically normal (n=33), suspected of having an ECUN infection (103), or clinically abnormal but not suspected of having an ECUN infection (67). An ELISA for detection of serum or plasma IgG against ECUN was developed by use of commercially available reagents. Results of the ELISA and PE were used to detect ECUN infection. Results--A high seroprevalence of antibody against ECUN was detected in all 3 groups of rabbits. In rabbits suspected of having an ECUN infection, the mean IgG titer was 1.7 times as high as the values in the other rabbit groups. Rabbits suspected of having an ECUN infection and those that were simply clinically abnormal had a higher concentration of γ-globulins than clinically normal rabbits. This increase in globulins concentration was accompanied by a decrease in the albumin-to-globulin ratio. Results of the ELISA and PE were significantly different between clinically normal rabbits and those suspected of having an ECUN infection. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance--The combination of an ELISA and PE may aid in the diagnosis of ECUN infection in pet rabbits. Impact for Human Medicine--Because ECUN is a potential zoonotic agent, diagnostic methods for pet rabbits need to be improved to protect human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective-To compare molecular typing methods for the differentiation of Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis phage type (PT) 4 isolates that allowed for the determination of their genetic relatedness. Sample Population-27 Salmonella Enteritidis PT 4 strains isolated in the United States and Europe. Procedure-Several molecular typing methods were performed to assess their ability to genetically differentiate among Salmonella Enteritidis PT 4 isolates. Results of pulse-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), repetitive polymerase chain reaction (POR) assay, 16S rANA gene sequencing, random amplification of polymorphic DNA (RAPD), PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism of 16S rRNA, and antimicrobial susceptibility were evaluated. Results-Compared with results for other techniques, results for the RAPD typing method with the RAPD1 primer reveal that it was the most discriminatory fingerprinting technique, and it allowed us to cluster Salmonella Enteritidis PT 4 isolates on the basis of their genetic similarity. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance-This study revealed the value of RAPD with the RAPD1 primer as a tool for epidemiologic investigations of Salmonella Enteritidis PT 4. It can be used in conjunction with PFGE and phage typing to determine the genetic relatedness of Salmonella Enteritidis isolates involved in outbreaks of disease. A reliable and highly discriminatory method for epidemiologic investigations critical to allow investigators to identify the source of infections and consequently prevent the spread of Salmonella Enteritidis PT 4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]