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FML-ELISA a novel diagnostic method for detection of feline leishmaniasis in two endemic areas of Iran

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Abstract

Although canids are regarded as major reservoir hosts for Leishmania infantum, feline leishmaniasis are reported sporadically from different endemic foci of Mediterranean visceral leishmaniasis (VL). Despite the risk of parasite transmission between human and other animals, most of the studies are limited to dogs and few studies are focused to investigate Leishmania sp. among other mammals. This project was aimed to detect L. infantum antibodies of cats in two VL endemic regions of Iran by Fucose Mannose Ligand (FML) and soluble L. infantum antigen (SLA) ELISA. Forty nine stray cats of different age and sex, from Fars and Ardabil provinces (two VL endemic loci of Iran) were sampled, then tested for L. infantum by FML and SLA-ELISA. Sixteen percent (8/49) of cat sera were reported positive by FML-ELISA. SLA-ELISA showed 18.3% (9/48) positive cases in cats. Sensitivity of FML-ELISA was calculated 57% and SLA ELISA 25%. Specificity of FML and SLA ELISA were assessed 78% and 68% respectively. Kappa coefficient of agreement between FML and SLA-ELISA was detected on 0.45. As feline leishmaniasis could be a potential risk in endemic areas, FML-ELISA could be considered as an appropriate examination to detect leishmaniasis in cats.

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Acknowledgements

Authors would especially like to thank the Vice-chancellor for Research and Technology, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences for their financial support.

Funding

This work is financially supported by Vice-chancellor for Research and Technology, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences grant No. 4856.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran

    Faeze Foroughi-Parvar

  2. Basic Sciences in Infectious Diseases Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran

    Bahador Sarkari & Gholamreza Hatam

  3. Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran

    Bahador Sarkari, Qasem Asgari & Gholamreza Hatam

Authors
  1. Faeze Foroughi-Parvar
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  2. Bahador Sarkari
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  3. Qasem Asgari
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  4. Gholamreza Hatam
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Contributions

Study was designed by Gholamreza Hatam. Sampling was performed by Qasem Asgari. Material preparation, data collection and analysis were performed by Faeze Foroughi-Parvar. Bahador Sarkari helped to study design and data analysis. All authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript, read and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Gholamreza Hatam.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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All animal care and procedures as well as license for blood sampling were under surveillance of Animal Care and Use Committee of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences.

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Foroughi-Parvar, F., Sarkari, B., Asgari, Q. et al. FML-ELISA a novel diagnostic method for detection of feline leishmaniasis in two endemic areas of Iran. J Parasit Dis 45, 279–284 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12639-020-01316-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12639-020-01316-3

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