Development of a TaqMan quantitative PCR assay for the identification of Piscirickettsia salmonis

Abstract

Piscirickettsia salmonis, a bacterial pathogen of salmonids, causes economic losses in farmed salmon and has been reported from Chile, Ireland, Scotland, Norway, and both the west and east coasts of Canada. The threat of possible introduction of P. salmonis to Australia has prompted us to develop a specific TaqMan PCR assay that provides a means of specifically and rapidly identifying infected animals. Results showed that the P. salmonis TaqMan assay was specific and offered a level of sensitivity comparable to the conventional nested PCR recommended by the Office International des Epizooties.