The Efficacy of Gel Immunodiffusion and Fecal Smear Tests for Diagnosis of Ovine Paratuberculosis in Sheep in Saudi Arabia.

Alluwaimi A M, Hatem M E and Almousa J M.

College of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Resourses, King Faisal Univesity, Al Ahsaa, Saudi Arabia.

A commercial rapid gel immunodiffusion (GID) test was used for the diagnosis of paratuberculosis (Johne’s disease) in sheep in Saudi Arabia. The serological results were compared with those obtained by the direct microscopic examination of Ziehl-Neelsen’s stained fecal smears. The relatively lower seropositivity rates of the GID than fecal smears in the clinically suspected groups of animals indicates that the fecal smears are more versatile than the GID test for the diagnosis of Johne’s disease in sheep.