Comparison of Serological Tests for the Detection of Natural Heartworm Infection in Cats
Abstract
Serological tests were performed on 380 cats with necropsy-confirmed heartworm status to compare the performance of currently available commercial laboratory and point-of-care heart-worm serological tests in a heartworm-endemic area. Overall, antigen tests detected 79.3% to 86.2% of heartworm infections and were highly specific. Most cats with false-negative antigen tests had a single male worm. Antibody tests detected 62.1% to 72.4% of heartworm infections and had a wider range of false-positive results (1.4% to 19.1%) than antigen tests (0.3% to 2.0%). Serological tests for feline heartworm infection varied in diagnostic performance. Combining results from antigen and antibody tests achieved greater sensitivity than using either test alone.
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Antigen test may be negative in some patients with an infection from a single female adult worm.
“Furthermore, the test may be negative in some patients with an infection from a single female adult worm [21,22].”
From First epidemiological report of feline heartworm infection in the Barcelona metropolitan area (Spain) (2014) · cites this paper as [21]
When no or only one adult female worm is present, a false negative result is obtained on ELISA or IC antigen tests.
“When no or only one adult female worm is present, a false negative result is obtained on ELISA or IC antigen tests.”
From Dirofilarioses in cats: European guidelines from the ABCD on prevention and management (2020) · cites this paper as [47]
A risk of false positive results exists because of antibody persistence even in cats that have cleared the parasites.
“a risk of false positive results exists because of antibody persistence even in cats that have cleared the parasites.”
From Dirofilarioses in cats: European guidelines from the ABCD on prevention and management (2020) · cites this paper as [47]
Circulating antibody tests can overestimate number of infected animals by yielding false-positive results.
“In contrast to antigen-detecting tests, circulating antibody tests can overestimate the number of infected animals by yielding false-positive results (40).”
From Human and animal dirofilariasis: The emergence of a zoonotic mosaic (2012) · cites this paper as [40]
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- Authors
- Berdoulay, P., Levy, J. K., Snyder, P. S., Pegelow, M. J., Hooks, J. L., Tavares, L. M., Gibson, N. M., & Salute, M. E.
- Affiliations
- Valdosta State University (US)
- Department of Small Animal, Clinical Sciences, (Berdoulay, Levy, Pegelow, Hooks, Tavares, Salute), College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32610
- ORCID
- Levy, Julie K.
- Venue
- Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association
- Publisher
- American Animal Hospital Association
- Published
- 2004-09
- Volume
- 40
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 376-384
- ISSN
- 0587-2871 (ISSN-L)
- 1547-3317
- OpenAlex
- W1965523711
- Cited by
- 74
- References
- 22
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 14 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 7 · 2016: 5 · 2015: 3 · 2014: 3 · 2013: 1 · 2012: 2
- FWCI
- 0.64
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- 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
- feline heartworm disease, antigen testing, antibody detection, point-of-care testing, sensitivity and specificity, false-negative results, false positives
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Antibodies, Helminth, Antigens, Helminth, Cat Diseases, Cats, Dirofilaria, Dirofilariasis, Female, Male, Predictive Value of Tests, Sensitivity and Specificity, Serologic Tests
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