The aim of the present study was to evaluate the reliability and effectiveness of directly determining
endotoxin activity in plasma samples from kangaroos with lumpy
jaw disease (LJD, n=15) and healthy controls (n=12). Prior to the present study, the ability of the commercially available automated handheld portable test system (PTS(TM)) to detect
endotoxin activity in kangaroo plasma was compared with that of the traditional LAL-kinetic turbidimetric (KT) assay. Plasma samples, which were obtained from
endotoxin-challenged cattle, were diluted 1:20 in
endotoxin-free water and heated to 80°C for 10 min. The performance of the PTS(TM) was not significantly different from that of the traditional LAL-based assay. The data obtained using PTS(TM) correlated with those using KT (r(2)=0.963, P<0.001). These findings indicated that the PTS(TM) is applicable as a simplified system to assess
endotoxin activity in macropods. In the present study, we demonstrated the diagnostic value of plasma
endotoxin activity in kangaroos with systemic
inflammation caused by oral
necrobacillosis and identified plasma
endotoxin activity as a sensitive marker of systemic
inflammation in kangaroos with LJD. Based on ROC curves, we proposed a diagnostic cut-off point for
endotoxin activity of >0.22 EU/ml for the identification of LJD. Our results indicate that the assessment of plasma
endotoxin activity is a promising diagnostic tool for determining the outcome of LJD in captive macropods.