Indirect hemagglutination for the diagnosis of Heterobilharzia americana infections in dogs.
An indirect hemagglutination test was developed for the diagnosis of canine schistosomiasis. Specific-pathogen-free dogs and dogs infected with a variety of other helminths were experimentally infected with Heterobilharzia americana. Sera collected at various times after the dogs were exposed to cercariae were evaluated. Glutaraldehyde-fixed sheep erythrocytes sensitized with whole adult worm antigens provided a stable antigen substrate when tested over a period of months. The test produced sensitive and specific diagnosis at an appropriate serum dilution. Serum dilutions less than 1:80 from dogs with other helminth infections resulted in nonspecific agglutination. By postexposure day 60, coinciding with the end of the prepatent period, serum titers of dogs infected only with H americana equaled, and then surpassed, those of the other dogs.
D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000032:analysis; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D006386:Hemagglutination Tests / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D012547:Schistosoma / Q000276:immunology; D012552:Schistosomiasis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary*; D013045:Species Specificity; D013047:Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms
D000906:Antibodies