COMPARISON OF EBL CELLS AND ELISA IN CULTURAL AND SEROLOGICAL DIAGNOSIS OF ATROPHIC RHINITIS IN PIGS

Pasteurella multocida isolates from 271 nasal swabs of pigs were teste d in EBL cell culture for toxin production. Mixed bacteria cultures of the same swabs were examined in the P. multocida toxin ELISA K462 (Da kopatts). In the ELISA 114 swabs reacted positive, whereas toxigenic P . multocida were detected by the EBL cell test in 86 swabs. In a neutr alization test (SNT) combined with EBL cell culture and with the ELISA 111 sera were examined for P. multocida antitoxin. The toxin had to b e more concentrated for the ELISA than for the cell culture; therefore the SNT with EBL cells was more sensitive. Whereas 101 sera had titre s of 1:4 or higher in the cell culture, 68 of these sera were positive in the ELISA.