Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
New blood test detects Chagas disease in dogs accurately
By Mejia, Rojelio et al.·Published in Veterinary medicine and science·2025·Department of Pediatrics-Tropical Medicine, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Evaluation of a Novel Tc-24 Recombinant Antigen ELISA for Serologic Detection of Trypanosoma cruzi Infection in Dogs: A Pilot Study.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of kennel dogs in Texas was tested for Chagas disease, which is caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi. Researchers evaluated a new blood test called the Tc-24 ELISA and found it to be highly effective, with 87.5% sensitivity and 91.2% specificity compared to other existing tests. This means it accurately identified most infected dogs while also correctly ruling out healthy ones. The Tc-24 ELISA could improve how veterinarians diagnose this disease in dogs, helping to ensure they receive the right treatment if infected.
People also search for: dog Chagas disease symptoms · Trypanosoma cruzi test for dogs · canine blood test for parasites
Abstract
Chagas disease, caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, is a significant challenge for canine health, with limited diagnostic tools. This study assessed the performance of a novel Tc-24 recombinant antigen ELISA compared to three commercial diagnostic tests on 70 serum samples from kennel dogs in Texas. The Tc-24 ELISA demonstrated high sensitivity (87.5%) and specificity (91.2%) compared to Indirect Fluorescent Antibody (IFA) testing, with significant differences in Tc-24 optical density (OD) between positives and negatives (0.607 vs. 0.089, p < 0.001). When compared to Chagas Stat-Pak (SP), Tc-24 ELISA showed sensitivity and specificity values of 82.1% and 86.7%, respectively (p < 0.001). For Chagas Detect Plus (IB), the assay achieved a sensitivity of 80.0% and specificity of 93.1% (p < 0.001). Spearman correlation analysis revealed significant associations between Tc-24 OD and SP (r = 1.0, p = 0.0167), IB (r = 0.9, p = 0.0833) and IFA (r = 0.6273, p = 0.044). Elevated immunochromatographic values in commercial kits (SP or IB) correlated with Tc-24 OD (1.17 vs. 0.039, p < 0.001), achieving 100% sensitivity and 95.8% specificity based on positive results from commercial kits. These findings suggest that Tc-24 ELISA is a reliable and accurate serological tool for diagnosing T. cruzi infection in dogs, with the potential to enhance diagnostic capabilities in veterinary medicine.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40827834/