Comparison of indirect fluorescent antibody test and the modified agglutination test for the detection of Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in stray dogs from Southern Brazil

Jonatas Campos de Almeida; Michelle Salmon Frehse; Italmar Teodorico Navarro; João Luis Garcia; Alexander Welker Biondo; Roberta Lemos Freire

doi:10.1515/ap-2016-0097

Article

Comparison of indirect fluorescent antibody test and the modified agglutination test for the detection of Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in stray dogs from Southern Brazil

Jonatas Campos de Almeida , Michelle Salmon Frehse , Italmar Teodorico Navarro , João Luis Garcia , Alexander Welker Biondo and Roberta Lemos Freire

Published/Copyright: October 22, 2016

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From the journal Acta Parasitologica Volume 61 Issue 4

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence of antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii by two serological techniques in sera of 364 stray dogs from Brazil by immunofluorescence antibody test (IFAT, cut off point 1:16) and to the modified agglutination test (MAT, cut-off points 1:25 and 1:50). A total of 175/364 (48.07%) sera were positive by IFAT, and 108/364 (29.67%) and 85/364 (23.35%) were positive by MAT with cutoff points 1:25 and 1:50, respectively were positive by MAT. Cohen’s Kappa Coefficient between IFAT and MAT was 0.81 (excellent) and 0.66 (substantial) with cutoff points 1:25 and 1:50, respectively. Using IFAT as gold standard, MAT sensitivity and specificity were 78% and 99% for 1:25 and 61% and 99% for 1:50, respectively. The results document of the usefulness of MAT for serological diagnosis because it does not require species-specific conjugate.

Keywords: Toxoplasma gondii; stray dog; MAT; IFAT; sentinel

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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Received: 2016-3-11

Revised: 2016-6-8

Accepted: 2016-6-14

Published Online: 2016-10-22

Published in Print: 2016-12-1

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Articles in the same Issue

https://doi.org/10.1515/ap-2016-0097

Keywords for this article

Toxoplasma gondii; stray dog; MAT; IFAT; sentinel