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PCR specific for Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae serotype 3

¹ Department of Paediatrics, Imperial College London, St Mary's Campus, London W2 1PG
² National Veterinary Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Bulowsvej 27, DK-1790 Copenhagen V, Denmark
³ Pathology Genomics Group, Institute for Biological Sciences, National Research Council of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0R6, Canada
⁴ Institute of Veterinary Bacteriology, University of Berne, Laenggasstrasse 122, 3012 Berne, Switzerland
⁵ State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Shizishan Street 1, Wuhan 430070, People's Republic of China
⁶ Department of Pathology and Infectious Diseases, Royal Veterinary College, North Mymms, Hertfordshire AL9 7TA

Correspondence: Correspondence to Dr Langford

Serotypes 3 and 8 of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae, the aetiological agent of porcine pleuropneumonia, have been reported to predominate in the UK. Direct serotyping of isolates of the organism is typically determined by the immunological reactivity of rabbit serum to its surface polysaccharides, but the method has limitations, for example, cross-reactions between serotypes 3, 6 and 8. This study describes the development of a serotype 3-specific PCR, based on the capsule locus, which can be used in a multiplex format with the organism's specific gene apxIV. The PCR test was evaluated on 266 strains of A pleuropneumoniae and 121 strains of other organisms, including all the major respiratory bacterial pathogens of pigs. The test was highly specific and sensitive and should be useful for differentiating strains of serotypes 3, 6 and 8, and in seroprevalence and epidemiological surveys in regions where serotype 3 is prevalent, such as the UK.