@article{mbs:/content/journal/jmm/10.1099/jmm.0.063891-0, author = "Semião-Santos, Saul José and Veloso, Laura Barral and Paes de Andrade, Paulo and Almeida de Melo, Marcia and Martins, Luis Miguel Lourenço and Marinho, Artur Armando de Moura and Afonso de Almeida, José Antunes and Campino, Lénea Maria da Graça and el Harith, Abdallah", title = "Performance of an indigenous β-mercaptoethanol-modified antigen in comparison with a commercial reference in direct agglutination test for detection of canine visceral leishmaniasis", journal= "Journal of Medical Microbiology", year = "2014", volume = "63", number = "1", pages = "106-110", doi = "https://doi.org/10.1099/jmm.0.063891-0", url = "https://www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/journal/jmm/10.1099/jmm.0.063891-0", publisher = "Microbiology Society", issn = "1473-5644", type = "Journal Article", abstract = "We compared the performance of a locally produced β-mercaptoethanol-modified promastigote antigen (β-ME-Ag) of an indigenous Leishmania infantum strain against that of a trypsinized Leishmania donovani reference (REF-Ag) in the direct agglutination test (DAT) for detection of canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL). One hundred and fifty-one serum samples collected from dogs belonging to four groups with different conditions were included. At a DAT titre of 1 : 320, statistically determined as optimal cut-off value for β-ME-Ag, and 1 : 160 for REF-Ag, a sensitivity and a specificity of 100 % were estimated for β-ME-Ag in comparison with 96.6 % and 100 %, respectively, for REF-Ag. Overall, levels of agglutination titres recorded for the two antigens were highly concordant (Cohen’s κ = 0.879) in both the CVL and non-CVL groups. Based on current results, and ease experienced in processing the antigen and reading the test outcome, we recommend incorporation of β-ME-Ag in DAT for confirmation or exclusion of suspected CVL in dogs.", }