Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
New antigen test detects canine visceral leishmaniasis better than
By Abeijon, Claudia et al.·Published in The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene·2021·DetectoGen Inc., United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Assessment of a New Antigen Detection Test for the Diagnosis of Canine Visceral Leishmaniasis.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of beagle dogs in Brazil were tested for canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL), a serious disease caused by a parasite. The new test, which detects specific proteins from the parasite, was positive in 70% of the infected dogs, while traditional methods only identified the parasite in 40% of cases. This suggests that the new antigen detection test could be a more effective way to diagnose CVL in dogs. Further research may help confirm its usefulness in clinical settings.
People also search for: dog leishmaniasis symptoms · beagle dog parasite test · canine visceral leishmaniasis treatment
Abstract
Canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL) is a serious zoonotic disease in Brazil and Southern Europe. CVL is primarily caused by Leishmania infantum and its diagnosis relies largely on detection of parasites in bone marrow or lymph node aspirates by microscopic observation of the parasites in stained smears, parasite culture, or polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Serological tests exist but they do not distinguish active disease from simple exposure to parasite antigens. Here, we have assessed the utility of a new monoclonal antibody--based antigen (protein) detection test for the diagnosis of CVL. The test was positive in 70% of beagle dogs experimentally infected with L. infantum. In contrast, culture of the parasites from bone marrow aspirates was positive in only 40% of the infected animals. These preliminary results suggest that this antigen detection test, which we have recently described for the diagnosis of human VL, has the potential to be a useful diagnostic tool for CVL.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34280139/