Edwardsiella

Test code: B0084 - Ultrasensitive qualitative detection of Edwardsiella bacteria. This assay detects but does not differentiate E. tarda, E. ictaluri and E. hoshinae.

Edwardsiella is a genus of gram-negative, facultatively anaerobic, rod-shaped bacteria of the family Enterobacteraceae. They are considered occasional opportunistic pathogens of humans. There are three species in the genus:

1.  Edwardsiella hoshinae has been isolated from animals and humans. It does not produce indole but is motile. E. hoshinae infects birds and reptiles.

2.  Edwardsiella ictaluri is nonmotile and does not produce indole. It usually occurs as a pathogen of catfish.

3.  Edwardsiella tarda is also known as Edwardsiella anguillimortifera. It produces indole, and is biochemically very similar to Escherichia coli. It is usually found in the intestinal tracts of aquatic animals and reptiles. It can also occasionally be isolated from the urine, blood, and feces of humans and has been known to cause gastroenteritis and wound infections. E. tarda is the etiologic agent of edwardsiellosis, a devastating fish disease that affects worldwide aquaculture industries.

These bacteria can be cultured with routine media but identification requires special selective media. PCR enables rapid and highly sensitive detection of these bacteria (Bilodeau et al., 2003).

Utilities:

• Help confirm the disease causing agent
• Shorten the time required to confirm a clinical diagnosis of Edwardsiella infection
• Help ensure that animal facilities and populations are free of Edwardsiella
• Early prevention of spread of these bacteria
• Minimize human exposure to these bacteria

References:
Bilodeau, A. L., Waldbieser, G.C., Terhune, J.S., Wise, D.J. and & Wolters, W.R. (2003) A Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction Assay of the Bacterium Edwardsiella ictaluri in Channel Catfish. J. Aquatic Animal Health 15: 80-86.

Specimen requirements: 0.2 ml of whole blood in EDTA (purple top) or ACD (yellow top) tube, or wound swab, or 0.2 ml feces or urine, or fecal swab, or water sample, or bacterial culture, or food sample

For specimen types other than those listed here, please call to confirm specimen acceptability and shipping instructions.

For all specimen types, if there will be a delay in shipping, or during very warm weather, refrigerate specimens until shipped and ship with a cold pack unless more stringent shipping requirements are specified. Frozen specimens should be shipped so as to remain frozen in transit. See shipping instructions for more information.

Turnaround time: 2 business days

Methodology: Qualitative real time PCR

Normal range: Nondetected