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PubMedDate not supplied

Empiric immunization versus serologic screening: developing a cost-effective strategy for the use of hepatitis A immunization in travelers.

BACKGROUND: Older individuals and those born overseas are thought at increased risk of prior exposure and thus have naturally acquired immunity to hepatitis A. Whether these individuals or other groups of international travelers should be screened for acquired immunity or empirically immunized is not clear. Hepatitis A serology and risk factor data was obtained prospectively in patients presenting for hepatitis A immunization and used to develop a cost-effective strategy for the use of serologic screening and empiric immunization in our traveler population. METHOD: Candidates for hepatitis A immunization were routinely screened for total hepatitis A serum antibody. Risk factor data including country of birth, travel history, and history of jaundice was collected. Cost-effectiveness was assessed by comparing the cost of serology to screen all patients plus cost to immunize those found to be seronegative with, the cost of empirically immunizing all patients. RESULTS: Analyses were conducted comparing age, travel history, country of birth, and history of jaundice for significance in predicting seropositivity in a group of 115 subjects. Country of birth was statistically a significant predictor of positive results with 80.0% of foreign-born patients positive for total antibody against hepatitis A compared with 35.6% of patients born in the United States. Living outside of the United States (defined as greater than 30 days) was also correlated with a higher prevalence of hepatitis A positive serology. Age was not predictive for the group as a whole. A lower prevalence (24.3%) was noted in the group of US born individuals aged 30 to 60. Travel and prior history of jaundice failed to demonstrate significance. CONCLUSIONS: Employing a simple cost-effectiveness equation using cost of serological testing, cost of vaccine, and prevalence of acquired immunity in the community, a strategy was developed. In our population it was cost-effective to screen all foreign-born individuals and those who had lived outside the United States.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

A cocktail of recombinant Onchocerca volvulus antigens for serologic diagnosis with the potential to predict the endemicity of onchocerciasis infection.

We report here the evaluation of the potential of a serologic test to determine the endemicity of onchocercal infection in hyper, meso, and hypoendemic communities by the detection of antibodies to a cocktail of recombinant antigens. Parasitologic parameters of infection prevalence and intensity were compared with serologic results. Infection prevalence by serology was consistently but not significantly higher than that defined by parasitology. Differences between the communities defined by microfilarial load (CMFL) and a measurement of Onchocerca volvulus-specific antibody levels (serologic index [SI]) were similar. When stratified by age, differences were more significant in the younger age groups. If a sentinel population of 5-15-year-old individuals was used to compare communities, all could be equally ranked by serologic and parasitologic parameters. The SI of the sentinel population gave a better distinction between each community than the SI of the whole and would be sufficiently sensitive to measure the changes in endemicity that would be required for onchocerciasis control programs.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

[Serologic diagnosis of Lyme disease in patients with undifferentiated arthritis. Diagnostic problems].

BACKGROUND: Arthritis is a frequent manifestation of Lyme disease. The diagnosis of this disease is especially supported by serological techniques which however have false positives or negatives. The aim of this study was to establish the frequency of serologies positive to Borrelia burgdorferi in patients with non-filiated arthritis and in other well defined rheumatic diseases. METHODS: A prospective study was performed to detect antibodies (AB) versus Borrelia burgdorferi in 43 patients with undifferentiated arthritis and in 100 patients with articular disease of precise diagnosis (rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, psoriasis arthropathy, and reactive arthritis/Reiter's syndrome). The technique was performed by indirect immunofluorescence and was repeated by enzymoimmunoassay in doubtful or positive results. Titers greater than 1/256 were considered as positive. RESULTS: Positive serology was found in two patients with undifferentiated arthritis and in one patient with Reiter's syndrome. None of the three patients referred the antecedent of erythema chronicum migrans. Positive serology was not observed in any of the patients with rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus or psoriatic arthritis. CONCLUSIONS: A small proportion of patients with undifferentiated arthritis or Reiter's syndrome presented positive serology at low titers versus Borrelia burgdorferi with the interpretation of these results being difficult. The frequency of seropositivity in rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus is very low.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

[A 2-year evaluation of antibacterial serology adapted to the diagnosis of reactive arthritis (168 cases)].

The diagnosis of reactive arthritis requires the identification of a trigger infection. Since 1984 we have carried out a series of serological tests that we have called "serology of reactive arthritis": they aim at detecting antibodies against the most common infectious agents in this particular pathology. This serology is essentially based on the complement-fixation test. Here we report the results obtained over a period of two years, comparing them with clinical and biological data: 168 cases have been studied. They include to two groups of patients: group A reassembling seronegative spondylarthropathies and including reactive arthritis (N = 104), and group B with patients suffering from a typical rheumatic affection usually having no relation to spondylarthropathies (N = 64). We propose for each antigen a level of positivity from which the presence of antibodies can be taken into consideration as part of the diagnosis. With reference to these levels we have obtained a significant relationship to recent antecedents (genito-urinary and intestinal), to the presence of IgM circulating immune complexes and to the precocity of the serological tests. The contribution of this type of serology to the recognition of reactive arthritis has been studied together with the other diagnosis factors of the diseases. We have been able to show significant rates of antibodies in more than 50% of the cases. The negative results and limits of this serodiagnosis are discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

[The knowledge base of the Hepaxpert I System: automatic interpretation of Hepatitis A and B serology].

The knowledge base of Hepaxpert-I, a medical expert system for interpretive analysis of hepatitis A and B serologic findings, contains 13 rules for hepatitis A and 106 rules for hepatitis B serology. Formally, the construction of the knowledge base was done by forming a partition of the sets of possible serologic finding patterns--64 for hepatitis A and 4096 for hepatitis B serology--induced by an equivalence relation, divides the elements of the sets into disjoint subsets, the equivalence classes. Each equivalence class is represented as one If-Then rule that assigns to every member of the equivalence class one interpretive text. The partition of the possible finding patterns into equivalence classes and the disposal of one and only one interpretive text for each equivalence class made the creation of a very practical and efficient computer program for the precise interpretation of any finding pattern of serologic tests for hepatitis A and B possible. The complete set of the provided If-Then rules is represented in this paper.

Antigens, Viral↗
PubMed1993

Systematic serologic screening for toxoplasmosis in pregnancy.

OBJECTIVE: To determine which serologic method or combination of methods could most effectively identify acute toxoplasmosis during pregnancy and to assess whether systematic screening is practical and cost-effective. METHODS: Using basic serologic tests (direct agglutination test and immunosorbent agglutination assay), we screened 2104 women for toxoplasmosis. Immunoglobulin M (IgM)-reactive patients (IgM immunosorbent agglutination assay score of at least 3) were studied by differentiating serologic tests performed sequentially. RESULTS: Specific immunity was found in 874 pregnant women (41.6%); 155 (7.4%) were IgM-reactive and 12 (0.6%) had acute toxoplasmosis. Using a reduced immunosorbent agglutination assay score of at least 3 (normally a score of at least 6 is used), acute toxoplasmosis was identified in 11 women at their first prenatal visit, including two in whom acute infection would not have been detected by a score of 6 or more until 9 weeks later. One additional nonimmune patient with acute infection was identified only by follow-up serologic testing. CONCLUSION: Systematic screening followed by sequential differentiating serologic tests is practical and cost-effective for the diagnosis of acute toxoplasmosis during pregnancy.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

False positive serological reactions in bovine brucellosis: evidence of the role of Yersinia enterocolitica serotype O:9 in a field trial.

To investigate the epidemiology of false positive serological reactions (FPSR) in bovine brucellosis, 1259 bovines from 20 herds were sampled on three successive occasions during the winter of 1993-1994 in an area where the herd prevalence rate of FPSR was high. Serum samples were examined by classical brucellosis serological tests (Rose Bengal and complement fixation) and faeces were cultured for the presence of Yersinia enterocolitica O:9. Thirty-nine bovines expressed at least one positive serological reaction during the study. In the herds with FPSR during the 1993-1994 annual brucellosis surveillance campaign, the specificity of the brucellosis serological tests varied significantly from December to March (97.0% to 99.1%). Y enterocolitica O:9 was isolated from 42 bovines but only three of them showed a positive serological response during the study. Y enterocolitica O:9 isolation rates also decreased with time. Young animals and animals having demonstrated FPSR in the past had a greater risk of having a FPSR. Older animals, which rarely showed FPSR, could form a reservoir for Y enterocolitica O:9. While isolation of Y enterocolitica O:9 was not linked to presence of FPSR and conversely, the FPSR phenomenon should be considered, either at the herd level or at the individual level. This work reinforces the link, at least partial, between FPSR and infection by Y enterocolitica O:9.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Serological findings obtained in cattle herds immunised with the Brucella melitensis Rev.1 and the B. abortus B19 vaccine in Mongolia.

To reduce the economic losses caused by Brucella abortus infection under the conditions of nomadic cattle breeding, more than half million cattle over 3 months of age (excluding male animals) were immunised with the B. melitensis Rev.1 vaccine in 7 provinces of Mongolia in the first year of a programme (1987). In the second year, only heifer calves over 3 months of age, yearling animals not vaccinated in the first year, as well as heifers over 2 years of age and cows were vaccinated. The vaccine was administered subcutaneously at a dose of 5 x 10(9) viable organisms. In co-operatives that had used the B. abortus B19 vaccine, the existing vaccination programme was maintained, and all cattle over 3 months of age (except male animals) were vaccinated with a dose of 5 x 10(10) viable organisms, using the same vaccination programme as in herds immunised with the Rev.1 vaccine. Before vaccination, two serological tests were carried out at an interval of 20-25 days to determine the incidence of Brucella infection. Serum samples were tested by the Rose Bengal test (RBT), serum agglutination test (SAT) and complement fixation test (CFT). An infection rate of 3.8-35% was found in the herds tested. Animals serologically positive for brucellosis were removed from the herds. Fifteen to 21 days after vaccination, blood samples were taken from 10% of the animals in all immunised herds. The serum samples were tested by SAT and CFT to check the seroconversion rate. In herds immunised with the Rev.1 vaccine 90% of the cows and 92.7% of the heifers were seropositive, while the seropositivity rate of B19-vaccinated cows and heifers was 68.8% and 89.7%, respectively. The serological status of the vaccinated animals was checked not only immediately after vaccination but also 12 months thereafter (in B19-vaccinated cows also 24 months after vaccination). After Rev.1 vaccination, antibodies were present in 7% of the cows, 4.6% of the 3-year-old heifers, 3.1% of the 2-year-old heifers, and 1.6% of the 1-year-old animals. By comparison, 13.2% of the cows vaccinated with the B. abortus B19 vaccine were serologically positive 2 years after immunisation. As regards the B19-vaccinated heifers, 7.9%, 5% and 2.7% of the 3-year-old, 2-year-old and 1-year-old animals, respectively, were serologically positive even 12 months after vaccination.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Diagnostic pertussis serology in the recent clinical efficacy studies of acellular vaccines.

The laboratory routine used and the criteria applied for serological case confirmation in vaccine efficacy trials have a direct influence on the identification of cases, which consequently may also affect the estimation of vaccine efficacy (VE). Some differences in the application of serological confirmation criteria among the recent clinical studies of pertussis vaccines include the level of increase in titre and use of single specimen diagnostics. Additionally, the use of pre-exposure serum specimen collections increases the sensitivity of serological confirmation. In the 1992-95 Stockholm trial, a regimen to collect serum samples systematically was introduced; using acute- and convalescent-phase sera from the cough episodes, the proportion of all cases which were serologically confirmed was 25%. When pre-exposure sera were also available, the proportion was 35%; the increased sensitivity was differential by vaccine group and affected the estimated VE to some extent. Therefore, with the different application of serological methods among the various efficacy studies, direct comparisons between studies should be made with great caution.

Adhesins, Bacterial↗
PubMed1997

Correlation between the detection of viral DNA by the polymerase chain reaction in peripheral blood leukocytes and serological responses to human herpesvirus 6, human herpesvirus 7, and cytomegalovirus in renal allograft recipients.

Diagnosis of significant infections by human herpesvirus 6 (HHV6) and 7 (HHV7) in transplant patients has proved difficult because both viruses are ubiquitous and can cause persistent infections in their hosts. The significance of viral DNA detected in peripheral blood leukocytes (PBLs; DNAemia) by PCR is therefore unclear. The interpretation of serological results is complicated by the fact that both primary and secondary infections with other herpesviruses may be associated with a concurrent antibody response to HHV6. Fifty-four renal allograft recipients were studied prospectively and their serological response to HHV6, HHV7 and CMV were compared with the detection of viral DNAemia from the homologous and heterologous viruses. Serum and heparinished blood samples were collected prospectively from 54 renal allograft recipients. DNA was extracted from PBLs and tested for the presence of HHV6, HHV7 and CMV DNA by PCR. Antibodies to HHV6 and HHV7 were measured by an indirect immunofluorescence test and to CMV by an anticomplement immunofluorescence (ACIF) test. CMV IgM antibodies were detected by a commercial enzyme immunoassay. CMV and HHV7 DNAemia were each significantly associated with serological responses to the homologous virus but no such association was found for HHV6 DNAemia. However, patients with consecutively positive DNAemia to any of the viruses (including HHV6) were more likely to have a homologous serological response. Patients who had detectable CMV IgM without a concurrent rise in CMV antibodies were significantly less likely to have CMV DNAemia (odds ratio = 0.16; 95% CI 0.02-0.9). CMV IgM antibodies may be associated with HHV6 or HHV7 DNAemia (odds ratio 2.3; 95% CI 0.5-15). This serological profile may reflect a crossreactive response to HHV6, HHV7 or other herpesviruses. CMV IgM should not be used in isolation for the diagnosis of CMV infection or disease in this group of patients.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

Serological immune response to cancer testis antigens in patients with pancreatic cancer.

Serological screening approaches have allowed for the identification of a large number of potentially relevant tumor antigens in cancer patients. Within this group, cancer testis antigens represent promising targets for cancer immunotherapy, since they are widely expressed in a variety of human cancer entities. In pancreatic cancer, however, there are only few data available about the expression pattern and serological response to cancer testis antigens and other serological-defined tumor antigens. Therefore, we investigated the IgG antibody response against 11 cancer testis antigens (SCP-1, GAGE, LAGE-1a,-1b, CT-7, NY-ESO-1, SSX-1-5) recombinantly expressed on yeast surface (RAYS) in patients with pancreatic cancer (n = 96), chronic pancreatitis (n = 18) and healthy donors (n = 48). We found in 14% of all patients antibody responses to SCP-1, but not to other cancer testis antigens (GAGE, LAGE-1a,-1b, CT-7, NY-ESO-1, SSX-1-5). Antibody response correlated with the expression of SCP-1 in the primary tumor of the respective patient as shown by RT-PCR, immunohistochemistry and Western blot. In contrast, no serological response to cancer testis antigens was observed in healthy donors. The humoral immune response against SCP-1 was associated with the size of tumor, but not with other clinico-pathological parameters such as histology, stage, presence of lymph node metastases, grading, age, gender or gemcitabine treatment. In conclusion, antibody response to cancer testis antigen SCP-1 is found in a proportion of pancreatic carcinoma patients. These results indicate that identification of additional tumor antigens by serological screening of tumor cDNA expression libraries by RAYS is a promising goal in pancreatic cancer.

Aged↗
PubMed1992

Serology of potyviruses: current problems and some solutions.

The serological relationships among members of the family Potyviridae are extremely complex and inconsistent. Variable cross-reactivity of polyclonal antisera, unexpected paired relationships between distinct viruses, and lack of cross-reactions between some strains are the major problems associated with the serology of potyviruses. Recent biochemical and immunochemical investigations of coat proteins have established the molecular basis for potyvirus serology and provided explanations for most of the problems with serology of potyviruses. Information from these studies has also formed the basis for the development of several novel approaches to the accurate detection and identification of potyviruses. However, even these novel approaches are not without drawbacks and some of them cannot be applied easily in plant virus laboratories, since they require prior sequence information and facilities for peptide synthesis. These findings suggest that serology is an imperfect criterion for the identification and classification of potyviruses.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Comparison of shell viral culture and serology for the diagnosis of human cytomegalovirus infection in neonates and immunocompromised subjects.

The present retrospective study compares the laboratory diagnosis of cytomegalic inclusion disease (CID) by the use of "shell vial culture" [i.e., immunoperoxidase staining of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) early antigen in human fibroblasts 24 h postinoculation] to the results of serology (i.e. immunoglobulins IgG, IgM, and IgA HCMV antibody testing) in 21 infants with congenital or postnatally acquired HCMV infection, 5 patients with lymphoproliferative disorders, 35 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-seropositive patients who met the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) criteria for stages IVA and IVB of HIV infection, and 115 patients suffering from the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, AIDS (stages IVC-IVE according to CDC criteria). HCMV infection was diagnosed by means of the shell vial culture inoculated with patient samples (e.g., urine, bronchoalveolar lavage, induced sputum, etc.) and serology in 163 (92.6%) and 65 (36.9%) patients, respectively. Viral shedding was detected by shell vial culture in 100% of the neonates, 80% of the patients suffering from lymphoproliferative disorders, 100% of the AIDS related complex (ARC) and 89.6% of the AIDS patients. In contrast, serologic testing for HCMV-specific antibodies was positive in only 28.6%, 42.9%, and 34.8% of the neonates, ARC, and AIDS patients, respectively. In lymphoma patients, serologic testing gave identical results (80%) to the shell vial culture technique. With the use of the shell vial procedure, active HCMV infection in immunocompromised subjects and neonates can be recognized more reliably than by serologic testing. Nevertheless, in a low percentage of patients (7.4%), virus isolation by the shell vial culture may fail to detect HCMV infection.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1989

Identification and classification of potyviruses on the basis of coat protein sequence data and serology. Brief review.

The identification and classification of potyviruses has been in a very unsatisfactory state due to the large size of the group, the apparent vast variation among the members and the lack satisfactory taxonomic parameters that will distinguish distinct viruses from strains. In the past, use of classical methods, such as host range and symptomatology, cross-protection, morphology of cytoplasmic inclusions and conventional serology, revealed a "continuum" implying that the "species" and "strain" concepts cannot be applied to potyviruses. In contrast nucleic acid and amino acid sequence data of coat proteins has clearly demonstrated that potyviruses can be divided into distinct members and strains. This sequence data in combination with information of the structure of the potyvirus particle has been used to develop simple techniques such as HPLC peptide profiling, serology (using polyclonal antibody probes obtained by cross-adsorption with core protein from trypsin treated particles) and cDNA hybridization. These findings, along with immunochemical analyses of overlapping synthetic peptides have established the molecular basis for potyvirus serology; explained many of the problems associated with the application of conventional serology; and provided a sound basis for the identification and classification of potyviruses. As a result, the virus/strain status of some potyviruses has been redefined, requiring a change in the potyvirus nomenclature. These new developments necessitate a re-evaluation of the earlier literature on symptomatology, cross-protection, cytoplasmic inclusion body morphology and serology.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2006

Characterization and serological classification of O-specific polysaccharide of Proteus mirabilisTG 276-90 from Proteus serogroup O34.

INTRODUCTION: Gram-negative bacteria of the genus Proteus from the family Enterobacteriaceae are currently divided into the five species P. mirabilis, P. vulgaris, P. penneri, P. hauseri, and P. myxofaciens and three unnamed Proteus genomospecies 4, 5, and 6. They are important facultative human and animal pathogens which, under favorable conditions, cause mainly intestinal and urinary tract infections, sometimes leading to serious complications such as acute or chronic pyelonephritis and the formation of bladder and kidney stones. In this study we report on the serological properties of the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of P. mirabilis TG 276-90, whose O-polysaccharide chemical structure was described earlier. MATERIALS AND METHODS: LPS and alkali-treated LPS of a few serologically related Proteus strains and O-antisera against P. mirabilis TG 276-90 and CCUG 4669 (O34) were used. Serological characterization of P. mirabilis TG 276-90 O-specific polysaccharide was done using enzyme immunosorbent assay, passive immunohemolysis test (PIH), inhibition of these tests, SDS/PAGE and Western blot techniques, absorption of rabbit polyclonal O-antisera, and repeated PIH test. RESULTS: Structural and serological investigations showed that the O-polysaccharides of P. mirabilis TG 276-90 and P. vulgaris O34 are identical and that their LPSs differ only in epitopes in the core part. Therefore these two strains could be classified into the same Proteus O34 serogroup. CONCLUSIONS: The serological data showed that the beta-D-GalpNAc-(1--> 4)-alpha-D-GalpNAc disaccharide is an important epitope of the P. mirabilis TG 276-90 and P. vulgaris O34 LPSs, shared by the P. mirabilis O16 and P. vulgaris TG 251 LPSs. It is responsible for cross-reactions with P. mirabilis TG 276-90 and P. vulgaris O34 O-antisera.

Carbohydrate Sequence↗
PubMed2006

Structures and serology of the O-antigens of Proteus strains classified into serogroup O17 and former serogroup O35.

INTRODUCTION: Bacteria of the genus Proteus are facultative pathogens which commonly cause urinary tract infections. Based on the serological specificity of the O-chain polysaccharide of the lipopolysaccharide (O-polysaccharide, O-antigen), strains of P. mirabilis and P. vulgaris have been classified into 60 serogroups. Studies on the chemical structure and serological specificity of the O-antigens aim at the elucidation of the molecular basis and improvement of the serological classification of these bacteria. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The O-polysaccharide was prepared by acetic acid degradation of the lipopolysaccharide isolated from dried bacterial mass of each strain by hot phenol/water extraction. (1)H- and (13)C-NMR spectroscopy was used for structural studies. Serological studies were performed with rabbit O-antisera using enzyme immunosorbent assay, passive hemolysis test, and the inhibition of reactions in these assays as well DOC-PAGE and Western blot. RESULTS: Four Proteus strains belonging to serogroups O17 and O35 were found to possess similar O-polysaccharide structures, in particular having the same carbohydrate backbone built up of tetrasaccharide repeating units. However, they differ in the presence or absence of additional substituents, such as phosphoethanolamine in P. mirabilis O17 and glucose in P. penneri O17, as well as in the pattern and degree of O-acetylation of various monosaccharide residues. Serological studies also showed close relationships between the O-antigens studied. CONCLUSIONS: Based on these data it is proposed to reclassify strain P. mirabilis PrK 61/57, formerly representing the O35 serogroup, into the serogroup O17 in the Kauffman-Perch classification system of Proteus.

Carbohydrate Conformation↗
PubMed2006

Classification of Proteus mirabilis TG 115 and CCUG 10701 into the Proteus O23 serogroup based on chemical and serological studies of O-polysaccharides.

INTRODUCTION: Bacteria of the genus Proteus are a common cause of urinary tract infections. The O-polysaccharide (OPS) chain of their lipopolysaccharide (LPS) defines the serological specificity of strains. Based on the OPS structures and the immunospecificity of the LPS, Proteus strains have been classified into 74 O-serogroups. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The OPS of P. mirabilis TG 115 was obtained by mild acid degradation of the LPS and studied by (1)H and (13)C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Antisera were raised by immunization of rabbits with heat-killed bacteria. Serological studies were performed using enzyme immunosorbent assay, passive immunoheamolysis, inhibition experiments, absorption of O-antisera, and Western blot. RESULTS: The following structure of the P. mirabilis TG 115 OPS was established: --> 2)-beta-D-GalpA-(1--> 3)-alpha-D-GalpNAc-(1--> 4)-alpha-D-GalpA-(1--> 3)-beta-D-GlcpNAc-(1--> The same structure has been reported previously for the O-polysaccharides of P. mirabilis CCUG 10701 (O74) and P. mirabilis 41/57 (O23), except that they contain O-acetyl groups in non-stoichiometric quantities. Serological studies showed the antigenic identity of the three strains and their close serological relatedness to P. vulgaris 44/57. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the OPS structures and serological data, it is suggested to classify P. mirabilis 41/57, TG 115, and CCUG 10701 into one subgroup and P. mirabilis 42/57 and P. vulgaris 43/57 and 44/57 into another subgroup of the Proteus O23 serogroup.

Carbohydrate Sequence↗
PubMed2006

Serological, intradermal and live flea challenge tests in the assessment of hypersensitivity to flea antigens in cats (Felis domesticus).

The results of intradermal testing with three commercial flea antigens and a serological test for IgE antibodies to flea antigens were compared with live flea challenge in cats. Eight control cats with no prior flea exposure had negative serological test and flea challenge results. By contrast, 17 out of 27 cats with previous flea exposure showed immediate reactivity to flea challenge; reactivity at 6, 24 and 48 h after flea exposure was noted in 12, 16 and 21 cats, respectively. Seventeen of these cats had positive serological test results. Seven cats showed immediate intradermal test reactions to the ARTU allergen, six reacted to the Biophady allergen, and six reacted to the Greer allergen. Intradermal test reactivity was less frequent at the other time points. Using the results of the flea challenge as the 'gold standard' for the presence or absence of sensitisation to fleas, the sensitivity and specificity of the serological test was 0.88 and 0.77, respectively. Sensitivities of the intradermal tests at the four time points ranged from 0 to 0.33, whereas the specificities ranged from 0.78 to 1.0. Live flea challenge is better able to detect cats with hypersensitivity to fleas than either intradermal or serological testing.

Animals↗