Analysis of Seroreactivity against Cell Culture–Derived Bartonella spp. Antigens in Dogs. (16th December 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hegarty, B.C.; Bradley, J.M.; Lappin, M.R.; Balakrishnan, N.; Mascarelli, P.E.; Breitschwerdt, E.B.
• Is Part Of: Journal of veterinary internal medicine. Volume 28:Number 1(2014:Jan./Feb.)
• Page Start: 38
• Page End: 41
• Publication Date: 2013-12-16
• Subjects: Veterinary medicine -- Periodicals; 636.0896
• DOI: 10.1111/jvim.12263
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0891-6640

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="jvim12263-abs-0001"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <sec id="jvim12263-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <title>Background</title> <p>Little is known about the specificity of <italic>Bartonella</italic> spp. immunofluorescent antibody (IFA) assays in dogs. Bacteremia in sick dogs most often has been associated with <italic>Bartonella henselae</italic> (<italic>Bh</italic>)<italic>, Bartonella vinsonii</italic> subspecies <italic>berkhoffii</italic> (<italic>Bvb</italic>), and <italic>Bartonella koehlerae</italic> (<italic>Bk</italic>). Clarification of the diagnostic utility of IFA serology when testing against these organisms is needed.</p> </sec> <sec id="jvim12263-sec-0002" sec-type="section"> <title>Objective</title> <p>To evaluate the specificity of <italic>Bartonella </italic>IFA assays utilizing 6 cell culture–grown antigen preparations.</p> </sec> <sec id="jvim12263-sec-0003" sec-type="section"> <title>Animals</title> <p>Archived sera from SPF dogs (n = 29) and from dogs experimentally infected with <italic>Bvb</italic> (n = 10) and <italic>Bh</italic> (n = 3).</p> </sec> <sec id="jvim12263-sec-0004" sec-type="section"> <title>Methods</title> <p>Antibodies (Abs) to <italic>Bvb</italic> genotypes I, II, and III, <italic>Bh</italic> serotype I, strains H‐1 and SA2, and to <italic>Bk</italic> were determined by IFA testing.</p> </sec> <sec id="jvim12263-sec-0005" sec-type="section"> <title>Results</title> <p>Serum from naïve SPF dogs shown to be negative for <italic>Bartonella</italic> bacteremia did not react with any of the 6 <italic>Bartonella</italic> antigens by IFA testing. Dogs experimentally infected with <italic>Bvb</italic> genotype I developed Abs against homologous antigens, with no cross‐reactivity to heterologous <italic>Bvb</italic> genotypes, <italic>Bh</italic> H‐1, SA2 strains, or to <italic>Bk</italic>. Dogs experimentally infected with <italic>Bh</italic> serotype I developed Abs against <italic>Bh</italic> H‐1, but not to <italic>Bh </italic>SA2 strain with no cross‐reactive Abs to <italic>Bvb</italic> genotypes I–III or to <italic>Bk</italic>.</p> </sec> <sec id="jvim12263-sec-0006" sec-type="section"> <title>Conclusions and Clinical Importance</title> <p> <italic>Bartonella</italic> spp. Ab responses during acute experimental infections are species and type specific.</p> </sec> </abstract>