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Karagkouni M, Spilioti K, Meletis E, Kostoulas P, Koutinas C, Theodorou K, Breitschwerdt EB, Mylonakis ME. Assessment of the effect of long-term serum storage for retrospective serologic diagnosis of canine monocytic ehrlichiosis (Ehrlichia canis). Comp Immunol Microbiol Infect Dis 2024; 108:102170. [PMID: 38581930 DOI: 10.1016/j.cimid.2024.102170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2024] [Revised: 03/30/2024] [Accepted: 03/31/2024] [Indexed: 04/08/2024]
Abstract
There is currently sparse information on the possible effect of long-term storage of serum specimens for the retrospective serodiagnosis of canine monocytic ehrlichiosis (CME). The aim of this study was to assess the agreement between the original serologic outcome and the results of a repeat indirect fluorescent antibody (IFA) assay for the detection of IgG antibodies against E. canis. A secondary aim was to compare the diagnostic performance of two commercially available point-of-care (POC) immunochromatographic (IC) assays. Archived serum samples originally tested as positive (n=66) or negative (n=19) for E. canis IgG antibodies and kept frozen at -20°C for a median of 22 years, were retrospectively examined by IFA and by two POC IC assays. Cohen's Kappa coefficient (0.748, p < 0.0001), indicated a substantial agreement between the original and repeat serologic testing results. An almost identical high sensitivity and moderate specificity were established for the two POC IC assays. Canine serum specimens on long-term storage may still be of value for seroepidemiologic surveys investigating the exposure to E. canis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melina Karagkouni
- Companion Animal Clinic, School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki 54627, Greece
| | | | - Eleftherios Meletis
- Laboratory of Epidemiology and Artificial Intelligence, Faculty of Public and One Health, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, Karditsa 43100, Greece
| | - Polychronis Kostoulas
- Laboratory of Epidemiology and Artificial Intelligence, Faculty of Public and One Health, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, Karditsa 43100, Greece
| | - Christos Koutinas
- Companion Animal Clinic, School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki 54627, Greece
| | - Konstantina Theodorou
- Companion Animal Clinic, School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki 54627, Greece
| | - Edward B Breitschwerdt
- Intracellular Pathogens Research Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, NC 27607, USA
| | - Mathios E Mylonakis
- Companion Animal Clinic, School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki 54627, Greece.
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