Increased detection of Dirofilaria immitis antigen in cats after heat pretreatment of samples
Open accessAbstract
Objectives: To determine whether pretreating diagnostic samples with heat increases the detection of Dirofilaria immitis antigen in adult cats, we evaluated feline serum and plasma samples collected in heartworm-endemic areas of the southern United States. Methods: Commercial microtiter well assays for detection of D immitis antigen were used to evaluate serum or plasma samples from 385 shelter and free-roaming cats from the southcentral and southeastern United States before and after heat treatment; commercial antibody tests were performed on a subset of samples. Results: Prior to sample heat treatment, 1/220 (0.5%) shelter cats and 4/165 (2.4%) free-roaming cats had detectable D immitis antigen. After heat pretreatment, the detection rate increased to 13/220 (5.9%) and 13/165 (7.9%), respectively. Antibody reactive to D immitis was significantly more common ( P <0.001) in the serum of cats that were antigen positive after heat treatment (10/13; 76.9%) than serum from cats that remained antigen negative after heat treatment (22/163; 13.5%). Conclusions and relevance: Heat pretreatment of feline samples increased antigen detection by commercial assays for D immitis and improved overall concordance of antigen and antibody test results in antigen-positive samples in this population. Although further work to investigate the specificity of D immitis antigen assays when using pre-treated samples is warranted, this approach may be useful in the diagnosis of heartworm infection in individual cats and may increase the accuracy of surveys based on antigen detection.
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Heat pretreatment of feline and canine serum or plasma samples improves the sensitivity of these commercial antigen assays in cats (and dogs) carrying only a few adult female worms by releasing antigens blocked within circulating immune complexes.
“heat pretreatment of feline and canine serum or plasma samples improves the sensitivity of these commercial antigen assays in cats (and dogs) carrying only a few adult female worms by releasing antigens blocked within circulating immune complexes.”
From Dirofilarioses in cats: European guidelines from the ABCD on prevention and management (2020) · cites this paper as [50]
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References 20 · Cited by 32
- Authors
- Gruntmeir, J. M., Adolph, C. B., Thomas, J. E., Reichard, M. V., Blagburn, B. L., & Little, S. E.
- Affiliations
- Oklahoma State University (US)
- Zoetis (United States) (US)
- Auburn University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Little, Susan E
- Venue
- Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2016-09-30
- Volume
- 19
- Issue
- 10
- Pages
- 1013-1016
- ISSN
- 1098-612X (ISSN-L)
- 1532-2750
- PMC
- PMC11110995
- OpenAlex
- W2526321841
- Cited by
- 32
- References
- 20
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 8 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 1
- FWCI
- 1.23
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Locations
- Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Center for Health Sciences, Oklahoma State University
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Infectious Diseases › Parasitic Diseases Research and Treatment
- Health Sciences › Veterinary › Small Animals › Helminth infection and control
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Research on Leishmaniasis Studies
- Keywords
- Dirofilaria immitis, feline heartworm disease, cats, shelter cats, free-roaming cats, antibody detection
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Animals, Wild, Antigens, Helminth, Cat Diseases, Cats, Dirofilaria immitis, Dirofilariasis, Hot Temperature, Specimen Handling
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