Serodiagnosis of glanders with reference to endemic- and non-endemic settings

AuszugThe causative agent of glanders in solipeds is Burkholderia mallei (B. mallei) which is a Gram-negative, nonmotile, intracellular bacterium. B. mallei is an obligate mammalian pathogen (Neubauer et al., 2005). Infection in equids provokes different syndromes depending on the route of entry. Glanders is characterized by nodules and ulcerations in the upper respiratory tract and the lungs. The skin form is known as farcy. In case of acute infection severe febrile condition is seen (Schlater, 1992). Glanders presents mostly in chronic form in horses and is acute in donkeys and mules. The disease is highly contagious (Mandell et al., 1995). Glanders in horses was described already in ancient times by Greek and Roman writers e. g. Aristotle, 350 BC as “malignant” or “bad disease” (Henning, 1956; Steele, 1980). The agent also infects occasionally humans in close contact to infected animals with a high case fatality rate (Mandell et al., 1995; Neubauer et al., 1997). B. mallei has been used as an agent of biological warfare against humans and animals during World War I and II (Lehavi et al., 2002). Although test and slaughter policy in solipeds has been successfully applied to eradicate glanders from the United States and Western Europe, it is still endemic in Africa, the Middle East, Central and South America and parts of Asia (Neubauer et al., 2005). Since 1999 a number of glanders outbreaks in horses have been registered in Pakistan, predominantly in the area of the Punjab. Solipeds including horses, mules and donkeys were the affected animals. Cutaneous, pulmonary and septic clinical forms with rare neurologic signs were seen in these animals (Lopez et al., 2003). Almost 90% of infection exists as nonclinical or latent form (Neubauer et al., 2005). . Based on the previously mentioned facts, the present study was designed to: 1. Determine the seroprevalence of glanders in apparently healthy equids in various districts of the Punjab, Pakistan. 2. Comparatively evaluate two commercially available CFT antigens: (c. c. pro and CIDC) using sera from glanders free (Germany), potentially exposed and glanderous equids (Pakistan). 3. Comparatively evaluate three commercially available antigens: (c. c. pro, CIDC and USDA) using sera from glanders free (Germany) and glanderous/immunised animals.