Candidate antigens for serological testing (ELISA) and diagnosis of canine visceral leishmaniasis

Abstract The diagnosis of canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL) relies on parasitological, molecular methods and serological. However, there are difficulties in using these methods to monitor the disease, and there is a need for more efficient diagnostic alternatives for dogs with suspected visceral leishmaniasis, also using clinical aspects of the animals, which that can be useful for surveillance and control. This study aimed to evaluate the serological diagnostic potential of recombinant antigens in order to improve CVL diagnosis. Disease diagnosis, clinical evaluation, and collection of biological samples for laboratory analysis were performed on dogs from the Tirirical District in São Luís, Maranhão, Brazil. The animals were divided into four groups: clinically suspected dogs for visceral leishmaniasis (VL), subclinical dogs for VL, animals with infections, and healthy animals from an endemic area. Subsequently, the animals were tested for the soluble liver antigen (SLA) antigen and recombinant Leishmania infantum chagasi antigens rP2a, rP2b, rP0, rHSP70, rHSP83, rH2A, and rKMP-11 using ELISA. The results demonstrate that the recombinant antigens that presented the best sensitivity, specificity, and high or moderate accuracy according to the Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves were rP2a, rP2b, and rH2A. These results indicate that rP2a, rP2b, and rH2A proteins are candidates for improving the diagnosis of CVL.