Development of a rapid, nonradioactive, oligonucleotide-based assay for the detection of Setaria digitata

Setaria species are filarial parasites which inhabit the peritoneal cavity of cattle and other ungulates. The parasite is generally considered to be nonpathogenic in its natural hosts, but the transmission of the infective larvae through mosquito vectors to its abnormal hosts (goats, sheep, or horses) can result in a serious and often fatal neuropathological disorder commonly referred to as cerebrospinal nematodiasis. We have previously described the cloning and characterization of a repetitive DNA sequence of Setaria digitata that could be used as a diagnostic probe to detect the parasite in host and vector populations. Here we report the development of a rapid nonradioactive hybridization assay using an oligonucleotide probe based on the above cloned repetitive sequence.