Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Blastomycosis antigen levels track remission in dogs
By Foy, D S et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary internal medicine·2014·Department of Medical Sciences·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Serum and urine Blastomyces antigen concentrations as markers of clinical remission in dogs treated for systemic blastomycosis.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of dogs diagnosed with blastomycosis, a serious fungal infection, were monitored during and after treatment to see how well urine and serum tests could track their recovery. The tests showed that urine samples were more effective at detecting the disease during treatment, while they also proved useful in spotting relapses after treatment ended. The study found that urine tests had a high success rate in identifying active disease and were reliable for checking if the infection returned. This means that urine testing can be a valuable tool for vets when managing dogs with blastomycosis.
People also search for: dog blastomycosis treatment · urine test for dog fungal infection · signs of dog disease relapse
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Serum and urine Blastomyces antigen concentrations can be used to diagnose blastomycosis in dogs. OBJECTIVES: Blastomyces antigen concentrations correlate with clinical remission in dogs during antifungal treatment, and detect disease relapse after treatment discontinuation. ANIMALS: 21 dogs with newly diagnosed blastomycosis monitored until clinical remission (Treatment Phase), and 27 dogs monitored over 1 year from the time of antifungal discontinuation or until clinical relapse (After Treatment Phase). METHODS: Prospective study. Dogs were monitored monthly during treatment and every 3 months after treatment discontinuation, with a complete history, physical exam, chest radiographs, and ocular exam. Urine and serum Blastomyces antigen concentrations were measured at each visit using a quantitative enzyme immunoassay. RESULTS: At enrollment in the Treatment Phase, Blastomyces antigen was positive in all 21 urine samples (100% sensitivity; 95% CI 85-100%), and in 18 of 20 serum samples (90% sensitivity; 95% CI 70-97%). At 2-4 months of treatment, urine antigen was more sensitive for clinically detectable disease (82%; CI 60-94%) than serum antigen (18%; CI 6-41%). The sensitivity of the urine test for clinical relapse was 71% (CI 36-92%), with close to 100% specificity (CI 84-100%) during after treatment surveillance in this population. CONCLUSIONS: Urine Blastomyces antigen testing has high sensitivity for active disease at the time of diagnosis and during treatment, and moderate sensitivity but high specificity for clinical relapse. Urine testing should be useful at the time of diagnosis, when treatment discontinuation is being considered, and anytime there is poor clinical response or suspicion of relapse.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24495193/