Serodiagnosis of nosematosis by immunofluorescence using cell-culture-grown organisms

Abstract

This simple procedure for the detection of serum antibodies to Nosema cuniculi in rabbits and other host species incorporates indirect immunofluorescence and uses as antigen N. cuniculi isolated from urine and cultured in a human fibroblast-like cell line derived from foetal tongue. Examination of rabbit sera from 8 institutions indicated that no institution was free from Nosema infection. The prevalence of infection in 4 separate Australian rabbit colonies varied from 25 to 75%.