[Serological diagnosis of the species Haemophilus equigenitalis using the rapid agglutination and coagglutination...

The method of rapid slide agglutination and coagglutination was tested in the detection of Haemophilus equigenitalis (Taylorella equigenitalis)--the causal agent of contagious equine metritis (CEM). It was demonstrated that both methods were suitable for the serological diagnosis of the species under study. The antisera obtained from rabbits immunized with Haemophilus equigenitalis strains treated in different ways were specific, but with different antibody titres. When cross reactions with other species of microorganisms were verified, the antisera did not react with any of the strains, even after binding them to protein A of the positive strain Staphylococcus aureus--Cowan I. Coagglutination was much more rapid and pronounced than the ordinary rapid agglutination test. It was characterized by a low consumption of specific antiserum. The specific antibodies bound to staphylococci were kept at the temperature of 4 degrees C for several months without losing agglutinin activity.