Snyder P S, Levy J K, Salute M E, Gorman S P, Kubilis P S, Smail P W, George L L
Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville 32610-0126, USA.
J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2000 Mar 1;216(5):693-700. doi: 10.2460/javma.2000.216.693.
To compare heartworm serum antibody (Ab) and antigen (Ag) test results, using commercial laboratories and in-house heartworm test kits, with necropsy findings in a population of shelter cats.
Prospective study.
330 cats at an animal shelter.
Between March and June 1998, 30 ml of blood was collected from the cranial and caudal venae cavae of 330 cats that were euthanatized at a local animal shelter. Results of heartworm Ab and Ag serologic tests for heartworm infection were compared with necropsy findings in this population of cats, using commercial laboratories and in-house test kits to measure serum Ab and Ag concentrations.
On necropsy, adult Dirofilaria immitis were found in 19 of 330 (5.8%) cats. Combining results from serum Ab and Ag tests achieved higher sensitivities than using serum Ab and Ag test results alone (i.e., maximum sensitivities of 100% vs 89.5%, respectively, whereas use of serum Ag and Ab test results alone achieved higher specificities compared with the use of a combination of serum Ab and Ag results (i.e., maximum specificities of 99.4% vs 92.9%, respectively).
On the basis of our findings, if a cat has clinical signs that suggest heartworm disease despite a negative heartworm serum Ab test result, an alternative heartworm Ab test, a heartworm Ag test, thoracic radiography, or two-dimensional echocardiography should be performed.
使用商业实验室和内部的心丝虫检测试剂盒，比较收容所猫群中心丝虫血清抗体（Ab）和抗原（Ag）检测结果与尸检结果。
前瞻性研究。
一家动物收容所的330只猫。
1998年3月至6月期间，从当地动物收容所实施安乐死的330只猫的头、尾腔静脉采集30毫升血液。使用商业实验室和内部检测试剂盒测量血清Ab和Ag浓度，将心丝虫感染的血清Ab和Ag血清学检测结果与该猫群的尸检结果进行比较。
尸检发现，330只猫中有19只（5.8%）存在成年犬恶丝虫。血清Ab和Ag检测结果相结合的敏感性高于单独使用血清Ab和Ag检测结果（即最大敏感性分别为100%和89.5%），而单独使用血清Ag和Ab检测结果比联合使用血清Ab和Ag结果具有更高的特异性（即最大特异性分别为99.4%和92.9%）。
根据我们的研究结果，如果一只猫尽管心丝虫血清Ab检测结果为阴性，但有提示心丝虫病的临床症状，则应进行另一种心丝虫Ab检测、心丝虫Ag检测、胸部X线摄影或二维超声心动图检查。
