Diagnostic Immunohistochemistry

 

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Large animal section: No. 15

DIAGNOSTIC IMMUNOHISTOCHEMISTRY: INFECTIOUS DISEASES

Immunohistochemistry involves the detection of antigen within formalin-fixed tissue sections with the use of antibodies and visual marker substances. 

The immunoperoxidase staining technique can be used to determine the presence of certain infectious agents/antigens within histological sections.  Commercially available antibodies are used to bind to the specific antigen in the tissues, and thus cause a positive staining reaction.

The following infectious diseases can be detected with IHC in South Africa:

Disease Organs/tissues (formalin-fixed)
Rabies Brain
Distemper Brain
Toxoplasma gondii Brain or any affected organ* (e.g. placenta)
Neospora caninum Brain, heart or any affected organ*
Equine herpes virus Brain, spinal cord, foetal tissues in aborted foetus
Bovine virus diarrhoea Skin (PI animal), lymphoid organs, e.g. spleen, lymph nodes, affected tissues/lesions e.g. gastro-intestinal ulcers
Heartwater (Ehrlichia ruminantium) Brain, other affected organs*
Rift Valley Fever Liver
Wesselsbron disease Liver
Encephalomyocarditis Brain, myocardium
Infectious Bovine rhinotracheitis Lung; upper respiratory tract (trachea); foetal tissues in aborted foetus
Lumpy skin disease Skin, internal lesions (e.g. trachea, lungs)
African swine fever Spleen, lymph nodes, other affected organs
Circovirus II infection in pigs Lymph nodes, spleen, lung (kidney)


*These are usually determined with routine histopathological examination as containing suspect lesions.

Diagnostic immunohistochemistry is currently being developed for the following infectious diseases:

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Chlamydophila psittaci

The advantage of Diagnostic Immunohistochemistry, is that formalin-fixed tissues are used, and routine histological samples are thus adequate.

For further information contact:
VetPath Veterinary Pathologists
P.O. Box 8464
Pretoria 0001
Tel: (012) 529 8345/6
e-mail: info@vetpath.co.za

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Copyright © 2004 Bill Robb & Associates
Last modified: Friday June 25, 2004