How ELISA and Serum Amyloid A Help Diagnose Kennel Cough in Dogs

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Bordetella bronchiseptica is an essential bacterial pathogen characterized by chronic respiratory disease in dogs known as Kennel cough. The presence of causative antibodies in animals can also be detected by lipopolysaccharide antigen-based enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). In recent years, it has been determined that there is a significant relationship between acute phase proteins and diseases, and disease follow-up can be done within the framework of this relationship. METHODS: In this study, blood sera from 150 dogs in an animal shelter in Van province were evaluated for B. bronchiseptica by the homemade ELISA method, and their correlations with serum amyloid A (SAA) were investigated. Blood serum samples were analysed for antibodies against B. bronchiseptica using a homemade ELISA method. Positive animals were also molecularly confirmed using nasal swabs by PCR. A commercial ELISA kit determined SAA levels in blood sera. RESULTS: Eighteen (12%) of the analysed blood serum samples were found positive by the homemade ELISA method. SAA concentrations in the positive blood sera were elevated from 12.7 to ≤38.98 mg/L. SAA concentrations in blood sera serologically positive for B. bronchiseptica were statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, in which the relationship between SAA concentration and B. bronchiseptica was investigated for the first time in Turkey, it was concluded that SAA concentration analysis may help diagnose and monitor the disease. In addition, the presence and prevalence of this critical and zoonotic agent causing chronic respiratory tract disease in dogs in Van province was revealed for the first time in this study.