Dados do Trabalho

Título

SERODIAGNOSIS OF CANINE VISCERAL LEISHMANIASIS BY FLOW CYTOMETRY: THE ACCURACY OF LEISHFLOW AND LEISHPLEX TESTS

Introdução

Serologic tests for Leishmania are key to determine the euthanasia of infected dogs as a control measure of Visceral Leishmaniasis (VL) in Brazil. Flow cytometry is a worldwide trend in the development of high-throughput serodiagnostic tools.

Objetivo (s)

Assess the accuracy of the flow cytometry serologic tests LeishFlow and LeishPlex in the diagnosis of canine VL.

Material e Métodos

LeishFlow and LeishPlex are flow cytometry tests developed and patented over recent years. Their diagnostic accuracy were assessed in a broad range of canine serum samples (n=150), which included dogs infected with L. infantum presenting different clinical forms (asymptomatic, oligosymptomatic and symptomatic), dogs infected with other canine pathogens (L. braziliensis, Ehrlichia canis and Babesia canis), and dogs vaccinated against CVL (Leishmune®, Leish-Tec® and LBSap).

Resultados e Conclusão

The LeishFlow showed sensitivity of 95.0% in all clinical forms. Its specificity was 80.0% in dogs with L. braziliensis, 93.3% in E. canis, and 100.0% regarding B. canis. In CVL-vaccinated dogs, 100.0% of specificity was observed. The LeishPlex presented sensitivity of 85.0% in asymptomatic dogs and 100.0% in the oligosymptomatic and symptomatic. Its specificity was 100.0% in dogs infected with L. braziliensis, 70.0% in E. canis, and 60.0% concerning B. canis. The specificity was also 100.0% in CVL-vaccinated dogs. Thus, the flow cytometry serologic tests showed outstanding accuracy. It was marked by high sensitivity regardless the dog’s clinical status and with substantial specificity to avoid cross-reactivity in dogs with other canine pathogens and especially in CVL-vaccinated ones.

Palavras-chave

Leishmania infantum; Canine Visceral Leishmaniasis; Diagnosis; Serology; Flow Cytometry.

Agradecimentos

FAPEMIG/CNPq.