An enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed to detect the presence of
Pasteurella piscicida. The test, after the preparation of the solid phase, takes less than 4 h to
complete and the same technique can be applied for both bacteria in culture and in tissue. The
limit of sensitivity for bacteria in culture was IO’ cells ml ’ or 10’ cells well ‘, if a plate reader
is available or 10’ cells ml-’ (IO3 cells well- ‘> visually. Similar sensitivity was achieved (IO’
cells well-’ with a plate reader, IO’ cells well- ’ visually) when the ELISA was performed on
tissue. The technique is specific and it offers a rapid, early and sensitive means of diagnosing
Pasteurellosis during outbreaks and screening large populations of fish for the presence of P.
piscicida. 0 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.
