title: Evaluation of an enzyme immunoassay for antibodies to a recombinant Blastomyces adhesin-1 repeat antigen as an aid in the diagnosis of blastomycosis in dogs.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of an enzyme immunoassay (EIA) for antibodies to a recombinant Blastomyces adhesin-1 repeat antigen (rBAD-1) to aid in the diagnosis of blastomycosis in dogs and compare the findings with results from other tests used for this purpose.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective analytic study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum and urine from 70 dogs with and without blastomycosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum and urine samples were collected from dogs with blastomycosis (n = 21), histoplasmosis (8), or nonfungal pulmonary disease (21) and from healthy control dogs living in a blastomycosis-endemic area (20). Serum was tested for antibodies against Blastomyces dermatitidis with the rBAD-1 antibody EIA and an A-antigen antibody agar gel immunodiffusion (AGID) assay. Serum and urine were tested for B dermatitidis antigen with a quantitative EIA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sensitivity of the quantitative antigen EIA was 100% in serum and urine samples from dogs with blastomycosis, with specificity of 95% in urine samples from dogs with nonfungal pulmonary disease and 100% in urine samples from healthy dogs. Sensitivity of the rBAD-1 antibody EIA (95%) was significantly greater than that of the A-antigen antibody AGID assay (65%). Specificity of the antibody EIA was 88% in dogs with histoplasmosis, 95% in healthy dogs, and 100% in dogs with nonfungal pulmonary disease.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The rBAD-1 antibody EIA had greater sensitivity than the A-antigen antibody AGID assay in dogs with blastomycosis. This antibody EIA may assist in distinguishing histoplasmosis from blastomycosis. Further evaluation in a larger prospective study is needed to verify these results.
authors.forename: Alyssa C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Mourning
authors.forename: Edward E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Patterson
authors.forename: Emily J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Kirsch
authors.forename: Janelle S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Renschler
authors.forename: Linda A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Wolf
authors.forename: Jasmin K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Paris
authors.forename: Michelle M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Durkin
authors.forename: Lawrence J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Wheat
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000908:Antibodies, Fungal / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology* / Q000652:urine; D000946:Antigens, Fungal / Q000276:immunology*; D001758:Blastomyces / Q000378:metabolism*; D001759:Blastomycosis / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000652:urine / Q000662:veterinary*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology*; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D000908:Antibodies, Fungal; D000946:Antigens, Fungal