Comparison of SensPERT® rapid test with two other immunochromatographic tests for the diagnosis of canine visceral leishmaniasis in Brazil.

BACKGROUND AND AIM

In urban environments, dogs serve as the primary reservoir for visceral leishmaniasis (VL). Rapidly diagnosing canine VL through tests enables early treatment and a favorable prognosis. This study aimed to assess the diagnostic performance of the SensPERT® test kit (Dechra®), Alere® Leishmaniasis Ac test kit, and the rapid test dual path platform (TR-DPP®) Bio-Manguinhos in detecting VL.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

30 serum samples from reactive VL dogs and 30 serum samples from healthy dogs were employed for assessing the sensitivity and specificity variation between SensPERT® test kit, Alere® Leishmaniasis Ac test kit, and rapid test dual platform - TR-DPP®.

RESULTS

The SensPERT® test outperformed Alere® and TR-DPP® in terms of sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values and demonstrated near-perfect concordance with Alere® and substantial concurrence with TR-DPP®.

CONCLUSION

The SensPERT® rapid test proved to be a promising test in the detection of VL in dogs.