Comparing immunochromatography with latex antigen agglutination testing for the diagnosis of cryptococcosis in cats, dogs and koalas

Krockenberger, MB; Marschner, C; Martin, P; Reppas, G; Halliday, C; Schmertmann, LJ; Harvey, AM; Malik, R

Comparing immunochromatography with latex antigen agglutination testing for the diagnosis of cryptococcosis in cats, dogs and koalas

Krockenberger, MB Marschner, C Martin, P Reppas, G Halliday, C Schmertmann, LJ Harvey, AM Malik, R

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Publisher:: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Medical Mycology, 2020, 58, (1), pp. 39-46
Issue Date:: 2020-01-01

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Krockenberger, MB
dc.contributor.author	Marschner, C
dc.contributor.author	Martin, P
dc.contributor.author	Reppas, G
dc.contributor.author	Halliday, C
dc.contributor.author	Schmertmann, LJ
dc.contributor.author	Harvey, AM
dc.contributor.author	Malik, R
dc.date.accessioned	2021-06-09T06:52:08Z
dc.date.available	2021-06-09T06:52:08Z
dc.date.issued	2020-01-01
dc.identifier.citation	Medical Mycology, 2020, 58, (1), pp. 39-46
dc.identifier.issn	1369-3786
dc.identifier.issn	1460-2709
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/149474
dc.description.abstract	<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:p>Although the point-of-care cryptococcal antigen lateral flow assay (LFA) has revolutionized the diagnosis of cryptococcosis in human patients, to date there has been no large-scale examination of this test in animals. We therefore assessed the LFA in cats, dogs and koalas suspected of having cryptococcosis. In sum, 528 serum specimens (129 from cats, 108 from dogs, 291 from koalas) were tested using the LFA and one of two commercially available latex cryptococcal antigen agglutination test (LCAT) kits. The LCAT is a proven and well-accepted method in veterinary patients and therefore taken as the “gold standard” against which the LFA was compared. The LFA achieved a sensitivity of 92%, 100%, and 98% in cats, dogs, and koalas, respectively, with corresponding negative predictive values of 94%, 100%, and 98%. The specificity of the LFA was 81%, 84%, and 62% for cats, dogs, and koalas, respectively, with corresponding positive predictive values of 76%, 48%, and 69%. These findings suggest the most appropriate role for the LFA is as a screening test to rule out a diagnosis of cryptococcosis in cats, dogs, and koalas. Point-of-care accessibility makes it equally suited for use in the field and as a cage-side test in veterinary hospitals. The suboptimal specificity of the LFA makes it less suited to definitive confirmation of cryptococcosis in animals; therefore, all LFA-positive test results should be confirmed by LCAT testing. The discrepancy between these observations and the high specificity of the LFA in humans may reflect differences in the host-pathogen interactions amongst the species.</jats:p>
dc.language	en
dc.publisher	Oxford University Press (OUP)
dc.relation.ispartof	Medical Mycology
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1093/mmy/myz010
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/closedAccess
dc.subject	1108 Medical Microbiology
dc.subject.classification	Microbiology
dc.title	Comparing immunochromatography with latex antigen agglutination testing for the diagnosis of cryptococcosis in cats, dogs and koalas
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	58
utslib.for	1108 Medical Microbiology
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Science
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Science/School of Life Sciences
utslib.copyright.status	closed_access	*
dc.date.updated	2021-06-09T06:52:07Z
pubs.issue	1
pubs.publication-status	Published
pubs.volume	58
utslib.citation.issue	1

Abstract:

AbstractAlthough the point-of-care cryptococcal antigen lateral flow assay (LFA) has revolutionized the diagnosis of cryptococcosis in human patients, to date there has been no large-scale examination of this test in animals. We therefore assessed the LFA in cats, dogs and koalas suspected of having cryptococcosis. In sum, 528 serum specimens (129 from cats, 108 from dogs, 291 from koalas) were tested using the LFA and one of two commercially available latex cryptococcal antigen agglutination test (LCAT) kits. The LCAT is a proven and well-accepted method in veterinary patients and therefore taken as the “gold standard” against which the LFA was compared. The LFA achieved a sensitivity of 92%, 100%, and 98% in cats, dogs, and koalas, respectively, with corresponding negative predictive values of 94%, 100%, and 98%. The specificity of the LFA was 81%, 84%, and 62% for cats, dogs, and koalas, respectively, with corresponding positive predictive values of 76%, 48%, and 69%. These findings suggest the most appropriate role for the LFA is as a screening test to rule out a diagnosis of cryptococcosis in cats, dogs, and koalas. Point-of-care accessibility makes it equally suited for use in the field and as a cage-side test in veterinary hospitals. The suboptimal specificity of the LFA makes it less suited to definitive confirmation of cryptococcosis in animals; therefore, all LFA-positive test results should be confirmed by LCAT testing. The discrepancy between these observations and the high specificity of the LFA in humans may reflect differences in the host-pathogen interactions amongst the species.

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