Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Early antibody changes in dogs with experimental leishmaniasis
By Talmi-Frank, D et al.·Published in Clinical and vaccine immunology : CVI·2006·School of Veterinary Medicine·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Kinetics and diagnostic and prognostic potential of quantitative Western blot analysis and antigen-specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in experimental canine leishmaniasis.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
Six infected beagles showed symptoms of leishmaniasis, a disease caused by a parasite, and were treated with allopurinol over 12 weeks. Researchers used advanced testing methods to identify specific proteins in the dogs' blood that indicated the presence of the infection. They found that certain protein bands were linked to early infection and could help predict how well the dogs would respond to treatment. The study suggests that these tests could be useful for early detection and monitoring of leishmaniasis in dogs, helping veterinarians provide better care.
People also search for: dog leishmaniasis symptoms · allopurinol for dog leishmaniasis · early detection of leishmaniasis in dogs
Abstract
Quantitative computerized Western blot analysis of antibody responses during experimental canine Leishmania infantum infection distinguished between immunodominant and nonimmunodominant protein bands. Six infected beagles, positive by both PCR and parasite culture, were monitored over 75 weeks postinfection and during a 12-week allopurinol treatment course. All dogs were symptomatic at the time of treatment. Of 12 antigenic bands examined, the immunodominant bands (12, 14, 24, 29, 48, and 68 kDa) showed significantly increased intensities (P<0.01) and higher frequencies of recognition than the nonimmunodominant bands at all time points. Detection of the former bands at 6 weeks postinfection preceded seroconversion by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) both on crude Leishmania antigen or the recombinant proteins rK39 and HSP70. Reactivity with the 14-, 48-, and 68-kDa bands signified early infection, whereas increased reactivity with the 14-, 24-, and 29-kDa bands was associated with posttreatment parasite persistence and potential unfavorable prognosis. Total lane intensity (TLI) emerged as a sensitive marker for early infection and increased as early as 4 weeks postinfection. TLI had a significantly higher (P<0.01) relative increase rate than crude Leishmania antigen or HSP70 or rK39 ELISA at all time points. These immunodominant antigens and TLI, as determined by quantitative Western blotting, will be valuable for early detection and treatment evaluation of canine leishmaniasis.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16467337/