Evaluation of a Wuchereria bancrofti recombinant antigen for the capture antibody diagnosis of dog heartworm

Abstract

and specificity of 73% were determined when compared to SNAP 4Dx. Conclusion: The findings revealed that the W. bancrofti antigen is not ideal for the immunodiagnosis of canine heartworm disease using the indirect ELISA assay. However, it was the first Brazilian ELISA developed to search for antibodies in dogs with heartworm disease. Also, the comparison with the SNAP 4Dx, an antigen-capture assay, is not ideal. Some infected animals do not produce antibodies and false negatives in SNAP4Dx could be infected and produce antibodies. It is possibly the reason for the greater positivity seen for the negative group from the endemic area in comparison with those from a non-endemic locality. Further studies aiming at the development of antibody tests for heartworm disease should be pursued, so as to better define the real status of the canine immune response in endemic and non-endemic areas.