Abstract: A method for determining the amount of an antiplatelet compound in a subject being treated with the compound which comprises calculating the ACT number of the subject's blood containing a reagent which immunoreacts with the antiplatelet compound and comparing the figure to a standardized concentration figure. In subjects concurrently being treated with heparin and antiplatelet compounds, the method can be practiced without additional heparin added to the blood sample. The invention also provides reagents which immunoreact with antiplatelet compounds and kits comprising immunoreactive reagents.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for detecting the presence of Serpulina hyodysenteriae in a biological sample, an oligonucleotide primer and an S. hyodysenteriae-specific oligonucleotide probe useful in that method, and an article of manufacture that contains the primers and/or probe. Also provided are an about 2.3-kb DNA fragment derived from genomic DNA of S. hyodysenteriae and encoding for an about 56 kDa polypeptide, a recombinant expression vector containing the DNA fragment, the 56 kDa polypeptide and a monoclonal antibody reactive with the peptide, and a method of assaying for antibodies reactive with the 56 kDa peptide.