Utilizzo dei test antigenici e anticorpali nella diagnosi sierologica della filariosi cardiopolmonare del cane e del gatto

A controlled study (negative and positive controls) and a field study were carried out on canine and feline serum samples to assess the diagnostic value of antigen and antibody in-clinic test kits for the diagnosis of heartworm infection. Overall 384 canine serum samples have been examined by 3 antigen tests (Witness DirofHaria, Snap HTWM e Speed Diro) in comparison with antigen PetChek HTWM following the laboratory protocol, assumed as gold standard. One hundred seventy height feline serum samples have been examined by Witness, Snap antigen kits and HESKA antibody in cats experimentally infected and PetChek positive and/or with worms visualized by echocardiography. In the dog, the specificity of antigen kits was 100% and the sensitivity was 92%, 98% and 59% for Witness, Snap and Speed, respectively (Witness vs Snap p>0.05, both kit vs Speed p0.05; Witness vs PetChek p>0.05; Witness vs HESKA /3<0.05). Considering a heartworm prevalence of 6%, the positive predictive values are 100%, the predictive negative values were 98% for Witness and Snap and 99% for PetChek, respectively

Pancreatic enzyme activity in the bile of healthy cats and its association with biliary morphology

BACKGROUND: In human medicine, congenital maljunction of the common bile duct (CBD) and main pancreatic duct (MPD), or pancreatobiliary maljunction (PBM), is a known cause of cholecystitis. OBJECTIVE: Pancreatic enzyme activity in the bile (a diagnostic marker for PBM) of healthy cats was measured to determine normal values and evaluate its relationship with biliary morphology. ANIMALS: Fifty‐two healthy cats. METHODS: Cross‐sectional study of the biliary tracts of healthy cats during laparoscopic ovariohysterectomy and measurement of pancreatic enzyme activity in bile. The cats were divided into groups A and B based on the ratio of the diameter of the cystic duct (CD) to the CBD. The normal ratio was 3.4. Pancreatic enzyme activity in bile was compared between the groups. RESULTS: The CBDs were straight in all cases, whereas the CDs were variably tortuous or dilated. Amylase activity in the bile (median, 3.4, had significantly higher amylase activity (median, 109 U/L; range, <100‐591 U/L) in the bile than did group A (median, <100 U/L; range, <100‐238 U/L), which had a CD/CBD ratio <3.4 (P = .0009). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: The results suggest that a dilated CD is associated with reflux of pancreatic juice. In the future, it will be necessary to examine the clinical usefulness of these findings by measuring pancreatic enzyme activity in the bile of cats with cholangitis