The mallein test is a sensitive and specific clinical test for glanders, a common bacterial disease of equids ( horses,

donkey The domestic donkey is a hoofed mammal in the family Equidae, the same family as the horse. It derives from the African wild ass, ''Equus africanus'', and may be classified either as a subspecies thereof, ''Equus africanus asinus'', or as a ...

mule The mule is a domestic equine hybrid between a donkey and a horse. It is the offspring of a male donkey (a jack) and a female horse (a mare). The horse and the donkey are different species, with different numbers of chromosomes; of the two pos ...

s). This test is an allergic hypersensitivity test used as a diagnosis for glanders. It is caused by a bacterium called '' Burkholderia mallei'', which is contagious for humans and other species. The occurrence of glanders must be reported to the World Organisation for Animal Health. Mallein, a protein fraction of ''B. mallei'', is usually injected by an eye-drop. If an animal is infected, the animal will show swelling in the eye from around 48 hours of injection and may be accompanied by secretion and conjunctivitis. Mallein is non toxic to normal animals.

History

Mallein was discovered in 1890. Before 1934, glanders was widespread. In the early 1900s, glanders was common in Europe, the United States of America, and Canada, and has been successfully eliminated by mass testing and the slaughter and destruction of campaigns. Glanders is still present in Asia, the Middle East and South America.

Limitations and benefits

Limitations

Although Mallein is the most commonly used form of testing for glanders, cross reactions were reported between '' Burkholderia mallei'' and ''

Streptococcus equi ''Streptococcus'' is a genus of gram-positive ' (plural ) or spherical bacteria that belongs to the family Streptococcaceae, within the order Lactobacillales (lactic acid bacteria), in the phylum Bacillota. Cell division in streptococci occurs ...

'', which is a bacteria-caused contagious upper respiratory tract infection of equines. This resulted in false-positive reactions.

Benefits

The specificity of Mallein tests and the efficiency and potency of it are connected to the "molecular weight of protein fractions, antigenic range, and virulence".

Test procedures and methods

* Preparation of crude mallein * Purification of malleo proteins * Trichloroacetic acid (TCA) preparation * Ammonium sulfate precipitation * Gel filtration chromatography * Sensitization of animals * Potency test * Intradermopalpebral

References

External links

*{{Commonscatinline Horse diseases Veterinary diagnosis