Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Cost comparison of tests for Giardia infection in dogs
By Pepe, Paola et al.·Published in Parasites & vectors·2019·Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, Italy·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Comparative cost-effectiveness of immunoassays and FLOTAC for diagnosing Giardia spp. infection in dogs.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 80 stray dogs suspected of having Giardia infection (a common intestinal parasite) had their fecal samples tested using different methods. The tests included a rapid enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), a direct immunofluorescence assay (IFA), and the FLOTAC technique. The FLOTAC method was found to be the most cost-effective option for accurately diagnosing Giardia infections, while the ELISA was quicker to perform. This suggests that veterinarians might consider using the FLOTAC technique regularly for diagnosing Giardia in dogs.
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Abstract
BACKGROUND: Giardia spp. is a protozoan pathogen and is the most common enteric parasite of domestic animals and humans. Assays for detecting infection in fecal samples using direct or indirect examinations are important tools for diagnosing the disease. The objective of the present study was to compare the cost-effectiveness of immunoassays and FLOTAC technique for diagnosing Giardia spp. infection in dogs. RESULTS: Fecal samples from 80 positive stray dogs were tested for the presence of copro-antigens of Giardia spp. using the direct immunofluorescence assay (IFA), a rapid enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and the FLOTAC double technique. All methods were performed in accordance with the instructions reported in the original description for each technique. The results showed that ELISA can be run in less time than IFA and almost at the same time of the FLOTAC technique. Among the tests used in this study, FLOTAC had the lowest cost per correct diagnosis, compared with immunoassays. CONCLUSIONS: The results from this cost-effectiveness analysis, in combination with the sensitivity and specificity of the FLOTAC technique, suggest that the FLOTAC technique can be use in the routine diagnosis of Giardia spp. infection in dogs.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30961639/