Accuracy of a point-of-care ELISA test kit for predicting the presence of protective canine parvovirus and canine distemper virus antibody concentrations in dogs

Canine parvovirology - A brief updated review on structural biology, occurrence, pathogenesis, clinical diagnosis, treatment and prevention

Canine parvovirus (CPV) is a major cause of hemorrhagic diarrhea and mortality in puppies worldwide. There are 2 types of Parvovirus which affects canines: Canine parvovirus 2 (CPV-2) and Canine parvovirus 1 (CPV-1) or the Minute Virus of Canine (MVC). CPV-2 originated from Feline panleukopenia virus and has undergone genetic variation to give rise to its three variants (CPV-2a, CPV-2b and CPV-2c). Amino acid substitutions in VP2 capsid protein have led virus to adapt new host range. The original CPV-2 was known to be dominant in Japan, Belgium, Australia as well as USA and later circulated throughout the world. Clinically, CPV-2 infection is characterized by anorexia, lethargy, depression, vomiting, leukopenia and severe hemorrhagic diarrhea. Several diagnostic tests have been developed to detect parvoviral infections which are categorized into immunological tests (latex agglutination test, SIT-SAT and ELISA etc.) and molecular based tests (PCR, mPCR and RT-PCR etc.). To control and manage the disease several treatments like fluid therapies, antibiotics, and adjunctive treatments are available and some are in various stages of development. Apart from this, many vaccines are also commercially available and some are in developmental stages. The present review contains detailed information regarding structural biology, occurrence, pathogenesis, clinical diagnosis, treatments and prevention in order to understand the need and the growing importance of CPV-2.

Comparison of four commercially available point-of-care tests to detect antibodies against canine distemper virus in dogs

Pre-vaccination antibody testing to determine dogs' immunity against canine distemper virus (CDV) is increasingly used. Four point-of-care tests (POC A-D) are available in Europe, but their diagnostic accuracy has not been compared. The study evaluated the diagnostic accuracy and usability of these tests. Sera of client-owned dogs (n = 198; healthy n = 22; unhealthy dogs n = 176) and specific pathogen-free (SPF) dogs (n = 40) were included. Virus neutralisation (VN) was performed as the reference standard. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV) and overall accuracy (OA) were determined. McNemar's test was used to determine significant differences between specificity and sensitivity of the tests and Cohen's kappa was used to assess agreement. The prevalence of anti-CDV antibodies by VN was 80% in client-owned dogs overall, with 100% prevalence in healthy dogs, and 0% in SPF dogs. POC-C and POC-D were considered easiest to perform. Specificity of all tests was high using sera from SPF dogs (88-100%). In healthy dogs, sensitivity was variable (45-98%). Specificity was low in all four POC tests when using sera from acutely ill dogs (6-53%) and clinically healthy dogs with chronic disease (5-77%). In client-owned dogs, including healthy and unhealthy dogs, agreement was poor between tests. All POC tests had a low specificity when investigating sera from ill client-owned dogs and usefullness of these tests especially in dogs that are acutely ill or have chronic disease is not supported by this study.

Smartphone-Based Fully Automated Optofluidic Device with Laser Irradiation-Induced Image Whitening

Herein, we have developed a fully automated optofluidic device to execute enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using an active 96-well hybrid lab-on-a-chip (LOC) device. To automate the solution loading into the reaction zone of the device and the post-assayed signal analysis, laser irradiation-induced image whitening was utilized with a smartphone-based optical platform. Two optical phenomena were utilized in our platform to detect the liquid in the reaction chamber using a smartphone. First, by Fresnel's equation, the refraction difference between air and water resulted in the intensity change of the reflected light from the reaction chamber. Therefore, when the liquid was entering into the reaction chamber, the intensity of the reflected light was changed. Second, when the light intensity increases, the smartphone-captured image whitens out due to saturation, even when the red color light was incident. Therefore, by measuring the RGB value of the smartphone image, the intensity changes by the liquid movement in the reaction chamber were successfully monitored. Our platform showed a low detection limit of 7.81 pg/mL for the detection of the NT-proBNP human cardiac biomarker with almost a half standard deviation, compared to the manually operated LOC-based ELISA. As a fully automated LOC adopting a conventional 96-well ELISA platform, we thus concluded that the developed platform can be widely applied for point-of-care clinical tests.

[Prevention of canine parvovirosis - Part 1: Humoral and cellular immunity]

Canine parvovirosis remains a common and highly infectious disease. Thus, adequate protection is essential for all dogs at any time. In this, humoral immunity plays an essential role. The presence of antibodies in adult dogs suggests immunity against the disease, and nearly all adult dogs possess antibodies (either due to previous vaccination or infection). Meanwhile, worldwide vaccination guidelines recommend measurement of pre-vaccination antibodies instead of regular triennial re-vaccinations in adult dogs. Studies have demonstrated a long lasting duration of immunity against canine parvovirus. Re-vaccination therefore possesses no beneficial effect when dogs already have pre-vaccination antibodies. Thus, when antibodies are present, unnecessary re-vaccinations that potentially cause vaccine-associated adverse events should be avoided. Hemagglutination inhibition and virus neutralization can be performed in specialized laboratories for quantitative antibody titer measurement. Semiquantitative point-of-care (POC) tests for detection of CPV antibodies are available. Since the presence of CPV antibodies in adult dogs that have been vaccinated or previously infected suggests adequate immunity against disease, these POC tests can be a useful tool in practice. They identify dogs that might potentially be unprotected and require re-vaccination during preventive health care appointments. Concerning the POC tests' quality assessment, a high specificity (low number of false positive test results) is considered the most important feature.

Comparison of Four Commercially Available Point-of-Care Tests to Detect Antibodies against Canine Parvovirus in Dogs

Measuring antibodies to evaluate dogs' immunity against canine parvovirus (CPV) is useful to avoid unnecessary re-vaccinations. The study aimed to evaluate the quality and practicability of four point-of-care (POC) tests for detection of anti-CPV antibodies. The sera of 198 client-owned and 43 specific pathogen-free (SPF) dogs were included; virus neutralization was the reference method. Specificity, sensitivity, positive and negative predictive value (PPV and NPV), and overall accuracy (OA) were calculated. Specificity was considered to be the most important indicator for POC test performance. Differences between specificity and sensitivity of POC tests in the sera of all dogs were determined by McNemar, agreement by Cohen's kappa. Prevalence of anti-CPV antibodies in all dogs was 80% (192/241); in the subgroup of client-owned dogs, it was 97% (192/198); and in the subgroup of SPF dogs, it was 0% (0/43). FASTest^® and CanTiCheck^® were easiest to perform. Specificity was highest in the CanTiCheck^® (overall dogs, 98%; client-owned dogs, 83%; SPF dogs, 100%) and the TiterCHEK^® (overall dogs, 96%; client-owned dogs, 67%; SPF dogs, 100%); no significant differences in specificity were observed between the ImmunoComb^®, the TiterCHEK^®, and the CanTiCheck^®. Sensitivity was highest in the FASTest^® (overall dogs, 95%; client-owned dogs, 95%) and the CanTiCheck^® (overall dogs, 80%; client-owned dogs, 80%); sensitivity of the FASTest^® was significantly higher compared to the one of the other three tests (McNemars p-value in each comparison: <0.001). CanTiCheck^® would be the POC test of choice when considering specificity and practicability. However, differences in the number of false positive results between CanTiCheck^®, TiterCHEK^®, and ImmunoComb^® were minimal.

Identification of Novel Feline Paramyxoviruses in Guignas (Leopardus guigna) from Chile

The family of paramyxoviruses has received growing attention as several new species have been identified recently, notably two different clusters in domestic cats, designated as feline morbillivirus (FeMV) and feline paramyxovirus (FPaV). Their phylogenetic origin and whether wild felids also harbor these viruses are currently unknown. Kidney samples from 35 guignas (Leopardus guigna), a wild felid from Chile, were investigated for paramyxoviruses using consensus-RT-PCR. In addition, thirteen serum samples of guignas were screened for the presence of FeMV-specific antibodies by an immunofluorescence assay (IFA). Viral RNA was detected in 31% of the kidney samples. Phylogenetic analyses revealed two well-supported clusters, related to isolates from domestic cats, rodents and bats. No significant histopathology changes were recorded in infected guignas. Serology identified two samples which were positive for FeMV-specific antibodies. Our study highlights the diversity of paramyxovirus infections in felids with special emphasis on guignas from Chile.

Canine vaccination in Germany: A survey of owner attitudes and compliance

BACKGROUND

Vaccination is the most important preventive measure for protection against infectious diseases in humans and companion animals. Nevertheless, scepticism about the safety and importance of vaccines is increasing in human and in veterinary medicine. Although owner attitudes towards vaccination have been investigated in cats, there are no similar studies in dogs. The goals of this study were therefore to investigate the vaccination status of dogs in Germany, to determine owner compliance with vaccination and to identify factors that play a role in owners' decisions to have their dogs vaccinated.

METHODS

Data were collected from August 2018 to February 2019 using an online survey targeting dog owners in Germany. A total of 3,881 questionnaires were evaluated, and factors associated with the vaccination status of dogs were determined by a linear logistic regression model using Akaike information criterion. Cohen's kappa statistic was used to evaluate agreement between questionnaire and 340 vaccination passports submitted voluntarily by owners.

RESULTS

A total of 46.8% (n = 1,818/3,881) of dogs were vaccinated with core vaccines according to current guidelines with the lowest vaccination rate for leptospirosis (50.1%; n = 1,941/3,874). Dog's age (16 weeks to 15 months) (odds ratio (OR): 3.08; 95% CI: 2.05-4.68), type (working dog) (OR: 2.06; 95% CI: 1.22-3.53) and travelling abroad within previous 36 months (OR: 1.82; 95% CI: 1.12-2.96) had the strongest 'positive' association with the vaccination status. Recommendation from a veterinarian not to vaccinate against leptospirosis had the strongest 'negative' association (OR: 0.08; 95% CI: 0.04-0.18).

CONCLUSION

The study revealed a need for improvement in vaccination compliance because of inadequate vaccination coverage, especially for leptospirosis, in dogs. Factors influencing owner compliance were numerous. Vaccination recommendations made by the veterinarian had a strong association with the vaccination status and should be used to increase canine vaccination rates.

Molecular and serological survey of carnivore pathogens in free-roaming domestic cats of rural communities in southern Chile

Owned, free-roaming domestic cats are abundant in the Chilean countryside, having high probability of contact with wildlife and potentially participating as reservoirs of zoonotic pathogens. In the present study, 131 cats from two remote study areas (Valdivia and Chiloe Island) in southern Chile were analyzed for infection/exposure to eight pathogens. Serum samples from 112 cats were tested for antigens against feline leukemia virus (FeLV antigen-ELISA) and antibodies against feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV-ELISA) and canine distemper virus (CDV-serum neutralization), yielded occurrence of 8.9, 1.7 and 0.8% respectively. The presence of DNA of five vector-borne pathogens, piroplasmids, Ehrlichia spp., Anaplasma spp., Rickettsia spp. and Bartonella spp. was investigated in thirty cats. Overall observed occurrence was 6.6% (2/30) for both Anaplasma platys, and B. henselae, and 3.3% (1/30) for both Bartonella sp. and Theileria equi. Observed occurrence for all vector-borne pathogens in Valdivia area was significantly higher than in Chiloe Island (5/15 vs 0/15; P=0.04). Our results represent the first description of exposure to CDV and DNA detection of T. equi and A. platys in domestic cats in Chile. The results highlight the importance of performing pathogen screening in owned, free-roaming rural cats to evaluate their potential role as reservoirs of infection and vectors for disease transmission to wildlife.

DNA microarray analysis using a smartphone to detect the BRCA-1 gene

DNA microarrays are used to examine changes in gene expression of a large number of genes simultaneously by fluorescent labeling of complementary DNAs (cDNAs). The major bottleneck in implementing microarray technology in resource-limited settings lies in the detection instrument used for generating images of spotted oligonucleotides post-hybridization. While various methods such as a lateral flow assay have been presented to accomplish point-of-care disease detection, there is no simple and effective instrument available to gather spot images maintaining the standard microarray procedures. Nanotechnology based sensors connected with a portable smartphone readout system have the potential to be implemented in microarray technology. Here, we describe a portable fluorescence microarray based imaging system connected to a smartphone for detecting breast cancer gene expression (BRCA-1) from exon 11. This is based on the interactive binding of probe DNA to Cy3-target DNA. A paper-based microfluidics approach was used to demonstrate the DNA hybridization assay. The imaging principles of the assembled device named "FluoroZen" are similar to those of a fluorescence microscope. It uses two light spectrum filters, one to excite the fluorescent dye and the other to capture the emission spectrum. The images were acquired by using CCD cameras from FluoroZen. The smartphone integrated paper microfluidics platform presented here could be translated into clinical settings to perform point-of-care testing.

Evaluation of the humoral immune response induced by vaccination for canine distemper and parvovirus: a pilot study

BACKGROUND

Canine Distemper Virus (CDV) and Canine Parvovirus (CPV) lead to infections with high mortality rates in dogs. These viruses affect unvaccinated dogs or dogs with incomplete vaccination protocols. Vaccination plays an important role in reducing death rates, preventing clinical cases and controlling the spread of virus However, the efficacy of vaccination might be affected by different factors including vaccine scheduling and the neutralization of the vaccine targets by maternal antibodies. In face of these factors, the main goals of this study are (i) to investigate the antibody responses of puppies undergoing different primary vaccination protocols against CPV and CDV and (ii) to estimate the time until seroreversion in adult dogs unvaccinated for at least 3 years.

RESULTS

Antibody protection against CDV and CPV was evaluated in a total of 20 dogs: 5 puppies that initiated immunization at 6 weeks after birth (group A), 8 animals that started vaccination between 8 and 12 weeks of age (group B), and 7 adult dogs that have not been vaccinated for at least 3 years (group C). Blood samples were collected from each animal, with 3 to 4 weeks apart. Antibody responses were measured using indirect ELISA. In the second immunization point, no significant differences were found between the seroconversion of groups A and B for each viral infection (p = 0.81 and 0.20 for CDV and CPV, respectively). In the third immunization, there was evidence for a shorter time to achieve a protective titer against CPV in group B when compared to group A (p = 0.015). Similar evidence was not found for CDV (p-value = 0.41). In Group C, the average time until seroveversion was estimated at 2.86 years and 7.63 years for CDV and CPV, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Vaccine response to CDV and CPV is specific in each individual. Effective immune protection in primary vaccination depends mainly on the initial titer of maternal antibodies acquired by the neonate. Other factors such as environmental exposure, immunization schedules and immune system activity influence the duration of immunity in adult dogs. The variability found reinforces the need to determine individual humoral immunity levels in order to assess vaccine efficacy.

Evaluation of the humoral immune response induced by vaccination for canine distemper and parvovirus: a pilot study

BACKGROUND

Canine Distemper Virus (CDV) and Canine Parvovirus (CPV) lead to infections with high mortality rates in dogs. These viruses affect unvaccinated dogs or dogs with incomplete vaccination protocols. Vaccination plays an important role in reducing death rates, preventing clinical cases and controlling the spread of virus However, the efficacy of vaccination might be affected by different factors including vaccine scheduling and the neutralization of the vaccine targets by maternal antibodies. In face of these factors, the main goals of this study are (i) to investigate the antibody responses of puppies undergoing different primary vaccination protocols against CPV and CDV and (ii) to estimate the time until seroreversion in adult dogs unvaccinated for at least 3 years.

RESULTS

Antibody protection against CDV and CPV was evaluated in a total of 20 dogs: 5 puppies that initiated immunization at 6 weeks after birth (group A), 8 animals that started vaccination between 8 and 12 weeks of age (group B), and 7 adult dogs that have not been vaccinated for at least 3 years (group C). Blood samples were collected from each animal, with 3 to 4 weeks apart. Antibody responses were measured using indirect ELISA. In the second immunization point, no significant differences were found between the seroconversion of groups A and B for each viral infection (p = 0.81 and 0.20 for CDV and CPV, respectively). In the third immunization, there was evidence for a shorter time to achieve a protective titer against CPV in group B when compared to group A (p = 0.015). Similar evidence was not found for CDV (p-value = 0.41). In Group C, the average time until seroveversion was estimated at 2.86 years and 7.63 years for CDV and CPV, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Vaccine response to CDV and CPV is specific in each individual. Effective immune protection in primary vaccination depends mainly on the initial titer of maternal antibodies acquired by the neonate. Other factors such as environmental exposure, immunization schedules and immune system activity influence the duration of immunity in adult dogs. The variability found reinforces the need to determine individual humoral immunity levels in order to assess vaccine efficacy.

Evaluation of a Community's Risk for Canine Parvovirus and Distemper Using Antibody Testing and GIS Mapping of Animal Shelter Intakes

This cross-sectional study aimed to identify where dogs with negative antibody tests to canine parvovirus (CPV) and canine distemper virus (CDV) originated when entering a community shelter, using a commercially available ELISA antibody test and Geographic Information Systems mapping. Of 2745 canines entering during a three-month period, 1056 test results were obtained. Dogs or puppies weighing over 2 lb were eligible if they could be humanely, nonchemically restrained for phlebotomy. Age and minor health issues weren't exclusions. Dogs were excluded if trained personnel were concerned health would be compromised by phlebotomy. Blood samples were collected within 24 hours of entry. Four hundred and twenty-seven (40%) dogs had positive antibody test results for both viruses, 422 (40%) were positive for CPV, 37 (4%) were positive for CDV, and 170 (16%) were negative for both. Mapping revealed geographic patterns for dogs with negative antibody tests. This shelter admitted dogs with negative CPV and/or CDV antibody tests from defined community areas. Targeting vaccination efforts in communities to areas where dogs with negative antibody tests originate could be an effective wellness strategy.

Prevalence of serum antibody titers against canine distemper virus and canine parvovirus in dogs hospitalized in an intensive care unit

OBJECTIVE To determine the prevalence of dogs hospitalized in an intensive care unit (ICU) with serum antibody titers against canine distemper virus (CDV) and canine parvovirus (CPV). DESIGN Prospective observational study. ANIMALS 80 dogs. PROCEDURES Dogs hospitalized in an ICU for > 12 hours between February 1 and June 1, 2015, that had at least 0.25 mL of serum left over from diagnostic testing were eligible for study inclusion. Dogs with serum antibody titers > 1:32 (as determined by serum neutralization) and > 1:80 (as determined by hemagglutination inhibition) were considered seropositive for CDV and CPV, respectively. The date of last vaccination was obtained from the medical record of each dog. RESULTS Of the 80 dogs, 40 (50%) and 65 (81%) dogs were seropositive for CDV and CPV, respectively. Of the 40 dogs that were seronegative for CDV, 27 had been vaccinated against CDV within 3 years prior to testing. Of the 15 dogs that were seronegative for CPV, 3 had been vaccinated against CPV within 3 years prior to testing. Ten dogs were seronegative for both CDV and CPV. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Results indicated the prevalence of dogs hospitalized in an ICU that were seropositive for CDV and CPV was lower than expected given the high vaccination rate reported for dogs. Although the antibody titer necessary to prevent disease caused by CDV or CPV in critically ill dogs is unknown, adherence to infectious disease control guidelines is warranted when CDV- or CPV-infected dogs are treated in an ICU.

Canine parvoviral enteritis: an update on the clinical diagnosis, treatment, and prevention

Canine parvovirus type 2 is the cause of a highly contagious acute enteritis associated with high morbidity and mortality, with very low survival rates in untreated dogs. Although severe clinical disease typically occurs in dogs younger than 6 months of age, adults with insufficient immunity may potentially be affected. In this article, the current state of knowledge is reviewed regarding the diagnostic aspects of parvoviral enteritis, with special emphasis placed on the clinical relevance of the detection of viral antigens in the feces, detection of viral antibodies in the serum, or the polymerase chain reaction-based amplification of the viral DNA in the feces. In addition, the components of the supportive and symptomatic treatment aiming to optimize the outcome of the disease in the clinical setting are thoroughly reviewed. Immunization guidelines for the prevention of the disease are also updated.

Prevalence of antibodies to canine parvovirus and reaction to vaccination in client-owned, healthy dogs

The purpose of this population-based cohort study was to assess current prevalence of antibodies to canine parvovirus (CPV) in adult, healthy dogs, including risk factors associated with lack of antibodies, and reaction to revaccination with a modified live vaccine (MLV). One hundred dogs routinely presented for vaccination were included in the study and vaccinated with a single dose of a combined MLV. Information was collected on signalment, origin, environment, vaccination history and side effects. Prevaccination and postvaccination antibodies were detected by haemagglutination inhibition. Univariate analysis, followed by multivariate logistic regression, was used to investigate association between different variables and presence of antibodies as well as titre increase. Protective CPV antibodies were present in 86.0 per cent of dogs. Intervals of more than four years since the last vaccination and rare contacts with other dogs were determined as main risk factors for the absence of antibodies. An increase in titres only occurred in 17.0 per cent of dogs. Dogs without protective titres before vaccination or with bodyweight <10 kg were more likely to have an adequate titre increase. Based on these findings, antibody status should be determined instead of periodic vaccinations to ensure reliable protection without unnecessary vaccinations in adult dogs.

[Diagnostic tools for canine parvovirus infection]

Canine parvovirus (CPV) infection is one of the most important and common infectious diseases in dogs, in particular affecting young puppies when maternal antibodies have waned and vaccine-induced antibodies have not yet developed. The mortality rate remains high. Therefore, a rapid and safe diagnostic tool is essential to diagnose the disease to 1) provide intensive care treatment and 2) to identify virus-shedding animals and thus prevent virus spread. Whilst the detection of antibodies against CPV is considered unsuitable to diagnose the disease, there are several different methods to directly detect complete virus, virus antigen or DNA. Additionally, to test in commercial laboratories, rapid in-house tests based on ELISA are available worldwide. The specificity of the ELISA rapid in-house tests is reported to be excellent. However, results on sensitivity vary and high numbers of false-negative results are commonly reported, which potentially leads to misdiagnosis. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a very sensitive and specific diagnostic tool. It also provides the opportunity to differentiate vaccine strains from natural infection when sequencing is performed after PCR.

Smartphone instrument for portable enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays

We demonstrate the utilization of a smartphone camera as a spectrometer that is capable of measuring Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assays (ELISA) at biologically-relevant concentrations with the aid of a custom cradle that aligns a diffraction grating and a collimating lens between a light source and the imaging sensor. Two example biomarkers are assayed using conventional ELISA protocols: IL-6, a protein used diagnostically for several types of cancer, and Ara h 1, one of the principle peanut allergens. In addition to the demonstration of limits of detection at medically-relevant concentrations, a screening of various cookies was completed to measure levels of peanut cross-contamination in local bakeries. The results demonstrate the utility of the instrument for quantitatively performing broad classes of homogeneous colorimetric assays, in which the endpoint readout is the color change of a liquid sample.

Influence of chemotherapy for lymphoma in canine parvovirus DNA distribution and specific humoral immunity

In man, the combination of cancer and its treatment increases patients' susceptibility to opportunistic infections, due to immune system impairment. In veterinary medicine little information is available concerning this issue. In order to evaluate if a similar dysfunction is induced in small animals undergoing chemotherapy, we assessed the complete blood count, leukocytic, plasma and fecal canine parvovirus (CPV) viral load, and anti-CPV protective antibody titers, in dogs with lymphoma treated with CHOP (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisolone) protocol, before and during chemotherapy. There was no evidence of decreased immune response, either at admission or after two chemotherapy cycles, indicating that the previously established immunity against CPV was not significantly impaired, supporting the idea that immunosuppression as a result of hematopoietic neoplasms and their treatment in dogs requires further investigation and conclusions cannot be extrapolated from human literature.

Immunization

•

Active immunization can partially or completely protect dogs and cats from severe consequences of infection with a variety of different pathogens, and in some cases it reduces shedding of these pathogens.

•

Vaccines contain attenuated live microorganisms, inactivated microorganisms, or portions of these organisms. They also contain preservatives and adjuvants.

•

Failure of immunization can occur with improper storage or administration of vaccines, a large challenge dose, host factors such as concurrent infections or disease, and interference by maternal antibody.

•

Other adverse effects of vaccine administration are uncommon to rare but include hypersensitivity reactions, disease induced by live attenuated vaccine organisms, and injection-site sarcomas in cats.

•

The decision to administer a vaccine should be based on discussion of risks and benefits between the veterinarian and pet owner. This should be documented in the medical record.

•

Guidelines for vaccine selection and administration have been published by a number of veterinary bodies, such as the AAFP, AAHA, AVMA, and WSAVA; suggestions can also be found in Appendix I.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis PPE protein Rv0256c induces strong B cell response in tuberculosis patients

Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the most important diseases of humans and major public health problem worldwide. Early and accurate diagnosis of TB is necessary for the treatment, prevention, and control of TB. Therefore, it is important to identify suitable antigens that can differentiate active tuberculosis patients from BCG-vaccinated individuals. In the present study, we have used Rv0256c (PPE2) protein of Mycobacterium tuberculosis to screen the sera of infected patients belonging to different clinical TB presentations, and BCG-vaccinated clinically healthy individuals by enzyme immunoassay. Our results demonstrated that Rv0256c displayed stronger and specific immunoreactivity against the sera obtained from clinically active tuberculosis patients compared to PPD and ESAT-6 and could differentiate the TB-patients from the BCG-vaccinated controls. Importantly, Rv0256c was also found to detect even the extrapulmonary and smear-negative pulmonary cases which often are tedious and difficult to detect using conventional diagnostic methods. This study suggests that Rv0256c can be used as a potential marker for the serodiagnosis of tuberculosis patients.