Collagen adhesin protein and necrotic enteritis B-like toxin as biomarkers for early diagnosis of necrotic enteritis in commercial broiler chickens

D. Goo; I. Park; H. Nam; Y. Lee; J. Sawall; A.H. Smith; T.G. Rehberger; C. Li; H.S. Lillehoj

Poultry Science (Jun 2023)

Collagen adhesin protein and necrotic enteritis B-like toxin as biomarkers for early diagnosis of necrotic enteritis in commercial broiler chickens

D. Goo,
I. Park,
H. Nam,
Y. Lee,
J. Sawall,
A.H. Smith,
T.G. Rehberger,
C. Li,
H.S. Lillehoj

Affiliations

D. Goo: Animal Bioscience and Biotechnology Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, USDA, Beltsville, MD, USA; Department of Poultry Science, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
I. Park: Animal Bioscience and Biotechnology Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, USDA, Beltsville, MD, USA
H. Nam: Animal Bioscience and Biotechnology Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, USDA, Beltsville, MD, USA
Y. Lee: Animal Bioscience and Biotechnology Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, USDA, Beltsville, MD, USA
J. Sawall: Arm & Hammer Animal and Food Production, Waukesha, WI, USA
A.H. Smith: Arm & Hammer Animal and Food Production, Waukesha, WI, USA
T.G. Rehberger: Arm & Hammer Animal and Food Production, Waukesha, WI, USA
C. Li: Animal Bioscience and Biotechnology Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, USDA, Beltsville, MD, USA
H.S. Lillehoj: Animal Bioscience and Biotechnology Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, USDA, Beltsville, MD, USA; Corresponding author:

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 102, no. 6
p. 102647

Abstract

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ABSTRACT: Mouse monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) reactive with Clostridium perfringens collagen adhesin protein (CNA) and necrotic enteritis B-like toxin (NetB) were developed. The best capture/detection mAb pairs for CNA and NetB were selected based on their affinity and specificity to develop sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) to detect CNA and NetB proteins, respectively, in jejunal digesta samples from commercial broiler farms in the United States. Prior to the analysis of samples from commercial broiler flocks, the specificity and sensitivity of the CNA and NetB ELISAs were validated using sera, jejunal digesta, and fecal samples from chickens coinfected with Eimeria maxima and CNA+/NetB+ C. perfringens in an animal model of necrotic enteritis (NE). Subsequently, a total of 251 field samples were collected from 74 commercial poultry farms. Among these, 18 samples were from 6 broiler farms that used certified organics (CO), and 155 samples were from 42 farms with nonantibiotics (NA). In jejunal digesta samples, CNA levels ranged from 0.02 to 0.59 ng/mL and NetB levels ranged from 0.09 to 1.91 ng/mL. CNA and NetB levels showed a positive correlation with each other (Pearson correlation coefficient r = 0.772, P < 0.001). CNA and NetB levels in jejunal digesta were significantly decreased in CO farms compared with those from NA farms (P < 0.001). In conclusion, these new C. perfringens antigen-specific sandwich ELISAs offer a sensitive and specific means to detect C. perfringens CNA and NetB proteins as biomarkers of early NE occurrence in field samples from commercial broiler chickens.

Published in Poultry Science

ISSN: 0032-5791 (Print); 1525-3171 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: United States
LCC subjects: Agriculture: Animal culture
Website: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/poultry-science

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