Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Heartworm testing in dogs using DNA and antigen tests
By Cho, Jaechun et al.·Published in American journal of veterinary research·2024·Department of Veterinary Internal Medicine, South Korea·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Loop-mediated isothermal amplification polymerase chain reaction in place of a modified Knott test in screening dogs for heartworm (Dirofilaria immitis) infection combined with antigen detection test.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 35 shelter dogs in South Korea were tested for heartworm infection, which can cause serious health issues. Researchers compared two testing methods: the modified Knott test and a newer DNA test called LAMP PCR. They found that the LAMP PCR test was more effective, detecting heartworm DNA in 17.1% of the dogs, while the modified Knott test only found microfilaria in 11.4%. This suggests that the LAMP PCR could be a better option for diagnosing heartworm infections in dogs, potentially improving early detection and treatment.
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Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To improve the current recommendations for the diagnosis of canine heartworm (Dirofilaria immitis) disease. ANIMALS: Blood samples collected from 35 shelter dogs in the Republic of Korea. METHODS: Samples were tested for the presence of microfilaria using the modified Knott (MK) test and D immitis DNA using species-specific loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) PCR. The blood samples were additionally assessed for the presence of heartworm antigens using the Antigen Rapid Canine Heartworm AG Test Kit 2.0 (Bionote Co). The performance of the MK test and LAMP PCR was assessed through statistical analysis, with a paired McNemar test utilized for comparison. RESULTS: The heartworm antigen was detected in 28.5% of the subjects. Of the 10 positive animals, the MK test detected microfilaria in 4 of 35 (11.4%) animals, and LAMP PCR detected D immitis DNA in 6 of 35 (17.1%). The results of this study indicate that the LAMP PCR showed more positive results in samples compared to the conventional MK test. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The D immitis-specific LAMP PCR assay has the potential to function as an alternative to current detection methods. It could complement the existing antigen detection tests in diagnosing canine heartworm infections.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38942062/