Detection of protective antibody titers against feline panleukopenia virus, feline herpesvirus-1, and feline calicivirus in shelter cats using a point-of-care ELISA

• Published in: Journal of feline medicine and surgery Vol. 13; no. 12; pp. 912 - 918
• Main Authors: DiGangi, Brian A., Gray, Lauren K., Levy, Julie K., Dubovi, Edward J., Tucker, Sylvia J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London, England Elsevier Ltd 01-12-2011; SAGE Publications
• Subjects: animal husbandry; Animals; antibodies; Antibodies, Viral - blood; blood serum; Caliciviridae Infections - diagnosis; Caliciviridae Infections - veterinary; Calicivirus, Feline - immunology; Cat Diseases - blood; Cat Diseases - diagnosis; Cats; disease outbreaks; dogs; enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay - veterinary; Felid herpesvirus 1; Feline calicivirus; Feline Panleukopenia - diagnosis; Feline panleukopenia virus; Feline Panleukopenia Virus - immunology; Herpesviridae - immunology; Herpesviridae Infections - diagnosis; Herpesviridae Infections - veterinary; Original; Point-of-Care Systems; Predictive Value of Tests; Sensitivity and Specificity; Virus Diseases - diagnosis; Virus Diseases - veterinary
• ISSN: 1098-612X; 1532-2750; 1532-2750
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jfms.2011.07.009

Serum antibody titers are a useful measurement of protection against infection (feline panleukopenia virus [FPV]) or clinical disease (feline herpesvirus-1 [FHV] and feline calicivirus [FCV]), and their determination has been recommended as part of disease outbreak management in animal shelters. The objective of this study was to determine the sensitivity, specificity, and inter-observer and inter-assay agreement of two semi-quantitative point-of-care assays for the detection of protective antibody titers (PAT) against FPV, FHV and FCV in shelter cats. Low sensitivity for FPV antibodies (28%) rendered a canine point-of-care assay inappropriate for use in cats. The feline point-of-care assay also had low sensitivity (49%) and low negative predictive value (74%) for FPV PAT detection, but was highly accurate in the assessment of FHV and FCV PAT. Improvements in accuracy and repeatability of FPV PAT determination could make this tool a valuable component of a disease outbreak response in animal shelters.