A comparative study on detection of Ornithobacterium rhinotracheale antibodies in meat-type turkeys by dot immunobinding assay, rapid agglutination test and serum agglutination test.

The objectives of the present study were to develop a dot-immunobinding assay (DIA) and a serum agglutination test (SAT) for detection of Ornithobacterium rhinotracheale, to compare the rapid agglutination test (RAT) and the SAT, and to make a serosurvey of O. rhinotracheale exposure on turkey farms in Turkey. Antiserum against O. rhinotracheale bacterin was prepared in rabbits and 72 serum samples were collected from turkeys with respiratory signs on four farms. Comparison of the tests showed that 55.5, 48.6 and 40.3% of serum samples were positive by RAT, SAT and DIA, respectively. The sensitivity of the DIA appeared to be lower than that of the agglutination tests but the specificity is not known.