PRODUCTION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF MONOCLONAL-ANTIBODIES AGAINST PASTEURELLA-PISCICIDA, THE CAUSATIVE AGENT OF FISH PASTEURELLOSIS

Six monoclonal antibodies (mabs) produced against Pasteurella piscicid a whole cells, cultured under iron limitation conditions, were charact erized and specificity tested. Two of the mabs (WE15H1D7 and WE3D6C11) appeared to be specific for P. piscicida lipopolysaccharide, while ma bs WE14C10F9 and WE12D7D8 crossreacted with Photobacterium species. Th e remaining two mabs, WE9D6D8 and VP4B11, crossreacted with other bact erial genera. All mabs reacted with material present in the extracellu lar products of the pathogen as well as to whole cells, suggesting tha t the antigens to which antibodies are directed slough off the cell me mbranes or are secreted to the culture medium. The potential of the ma bs as tools for the diagnosis of pasteurellosis is discussed.