wildlife and zoo assay data sheet

Yersinia pseudotuberculosis

Test code: B0062 - Qualitative ultrasensitive detection of Yersinia pseudotuberculosis bacteria by real time polymerase chain reaction.

Yersinia pseudotuberculosis is a gram-negative bacterium which primarily causes disease in animals, although humans may also be infected through food contamination. Infection with this pathogen can cause tuberculosis-like symptoms, including localized tissue necrosis and granulomas in the spleen, liver, and lymph node.

The bacteria occur widely in various host species, including dogs, cats, horses, cattle, rabbits, deer, rodents, and birds. Documented cases of occupational exposure to Y. pseudotuberculosis include butchers working in abattoirs slaughtering swine. Outbreaks of Y. pseudotuberculosis in animal facilities have occasionally been reported, including in primate facilities (Bronson et al., 1972; Iwata et al., 2008).

Successfully culturing Y. pseudotuberculosis is very difficult, and serologic tests in many cases require serial testing on multiple serum samples taken at several time points. Molecular detection by PCR offers a rapid, sensitive and specific method for detecting Y. pseudotuberculosis.

Utilities:

• Confirm the disease causing agent
• Shorten the time required to confirm a clinical diagnosis of Yersinia pseudotuberculosis infection
• Ensure animal groups and populations are free of Y. pseudotuberculosis
• Early prevention of spread of Y. pseudotuberculosis among a population
• Minimize human exposure to Y. pseudotuberculosis
• Safety monitoring of biological products and vaccines that derive from susceptible animals

References:
Bronson, R.T., May, B.D. and Ruebner, B.H. (1972) An Outbreak of Infection by Yersinia pseudotuberculosis in Nonhuman Primates. Am. J. Pathol. 69: 289–308.
Iwata, T., Une, Y., Okatani, A.T., Kato, Y., Nakadai, A., Lee, K., Watanabe, M., Taniguchi, T., Elhelaly, A.E., Hirota, Y. and Hayashidani, H. (2008) Virulence characteristics of Yersinia pseudotuberculosis isolated from breeding monkeys in Japan. Vet Microbiol. 129:404-409.

Specimen requirement:  Rectal swab, or cloacal swab, or 0.5 ml feces, or 0.5 ml fresh, frozen or fixed tissue, or 0.5 ml whole blood in EDTA (purple top) or ACD (yellow top) tube.

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