[Identification and diagnosis of Taylorella equigenitalis by a DNA amplification method (PCR)]

A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for identification of Taylorella equigenitalis was developed. The oligonucleotide primers are based on the DNA sequence of the rrs gene of T. equigenitalis, encoding for the 16S ribosomal RNA. Analysis of 21 strains of T. equigenitalis from England, USA and Switzerland showed an amplification product of 410 bp with identical Sau3A restriction profile. The sensitivity of the PCR-Assay was estimated to detect 50 to 500 bacteria of T. equigenitalis in a mixture with frequently found contaminants. Further analysis of culture from 60 genital swabs, taken in the course of the control of the contagious equine metritis in horses and donkeys, of experimental assays as well as of two positive cases from the diagnostic showed that this PCR-assay can be used to identify and to detect strains of T. equigenitalis. In addition, preliminary results indicate that the method is also applicable for direct in vitro establishment of the presence of T. equigenitalis in clinical samples.