title: Evaluation of a rapid IgM detection test for diagnosis of acute leptospirosis in dogs.
abstract: Recently, a lateral flow assay (LFA) for detection ofLeptospira-specific IgM in canine sera became commercially available in Europe. The present study aims to evaluate the diagnostic performance of this assay using canine sera from a collection of diagnostic accessions. Diagnostic sensitivity was assessed by testing 37 acute-phase and 9 corresponding convalescent-phase sera from dogs with a confirmed diagnosis of leptospirosis. Specificity was determined by testing sera from sick dogs with non-leptospiral infections (n=15) and healthy dogs with incomplete history of vaccination (n=45). During acute phase of illness, LFA scored positive for 28/37 sera with a sensitivity of 75.7 per cent while only 9/37 (24.3 per cent) samples were positive on microscopic agglutination test. The specificity of the LFA was 98.3 per cent (59/60). This test showed 89.7 and 100 per cent overall agreements with clinical diagnosis for acute-phase and convalescent-phase sera, respectively. The impact of vaccination on the LFA was also determined and vaccine-stimulated IgM responses were negative in 19/25 (76 per cent) dogs at 12 weeks post vaccination. In conclusion, the LFA is a rapid and reliable test for early detection ofLeptospira-specific IgM during acute phase of canine leptospirosis. However, interpretation of a positive result must be made in the context of clinical signs and vaccination history.
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Medicine Research and Development, Zoetis, 333 Portage St., Kalamazoo, Michigan 49007, USA.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lizer
authors.affiliation: Small Animal Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Oertzenweg 19b, Berlin 14163, Germany.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Grahlmann
authors.affiliation: Small Animal Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Oertzenweg 19b, Berlin 14163, Germany.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hapke
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Medicine Research and Development, Zoetis, 333 Portage St., Kalamazoo, Michigan 49007, USA.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Velineni
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Medicine Research and Development, Zoetis, Hoge Wei 10, Zaventem 1930, Belgium.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Small Animal Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Oertzenweg 19b, Berlin 14163, Germany.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kohn
mesh_terms: D000372:Agglutination Tests; D000818:Animals; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D004285:Dogs; D007118:Immunoassay / Q000662:veterinary*; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D007919:Leptospira / Q000276:immunology; D007922:Leptospirosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014611:Vaccination / Q000662:veterinary
chemical_list: D007075:Immunoglobulin M
keywords: Bacterial diseases; Diagnostics; Dogs; Leptospira; Serology; Zoonoses