Identification of type D Pasteurella multocida by counterimmunoelectrophoresis.

A counterimmunoelectrophoresis (CIE) test was applied to serotype 35 isolates of type D Pasteurella multocida recovered from 32 cases of atrophic rhinitis (in swine) and 3 cases of snuffles (in rabbits). The CIE test was compared with the indirect hemagglutination (IHA) and acriflavine (AF) tests. Results of the CIE test correlated 100% with those of the IHA test whereas results of the AF test correlated 91.43% with those of the IHA test. The CIE test was rapid and simpler to perform compared with the IHA test and more sensitive than the AF test. Cross-reactions were not encountered with capsular antigens of P. multocida types A, B, and E in the CIE test. The CIE test was not found to be suitable for typing type A P. multocida strains.