Ensaio de imunoadsorção enzimática como diagnóstico de esporotricose felina

Abstract

Sporotrichosis is an infectious disease caused by the fungus Sporothrix spp. and is considered a zoonosis of significant medical and veterinary importance. Although the disease can affect multiple animal species and humans, the infection is most prevalent in cats, where it is regarded as one of the leading causes of cutaneous lesions. The diagnosis of sporotrichosis is based on a combination of clinical findings, patient history, and laboratory tests. The reference method for diagnosis is the isolation of the causative agent through mycological culture, followed by morphological characterization and conversion to the yeast form. However, this method can be time-consuming and may not always possess sufficient sensitivity to detect the infection in its early stages. In this context, serological tests, particularly the Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA), have been studied as a promising diagnostic tool due to their rapid, non-invasive nature and the potential for large-scale application. The objective of this study was to develop an indirect ELISA for feline sporotrichosis using a recombinant antigen. Article 1 discusses the development of an ELISA test using the chimeric protein rChiGp70_Eno from S. brasiliensis as the antigen. The test demonstrated excellent performance, with a sensitivity of 88% (95% CI: 70%-96%) and a specificity of 100% (95% CI: 85%-100%). Article 2 is a systematic review and meta-analysis aimed at summarizing the current evidence in the scientific literature regarding the use of ELISA for diagnosing sporotrichosis in humans and cats. The meta-analysis consolidated data from seven different studies conducted over a 17-year period. ELISA once again proved to be an excellent tool for aiding the diagnosis of sporotrichosis, demonstrating a sensitivity of 93% (95% CI: 90%-95%) and a specificity of 91% (95% CI: 89%-93%). The indirect ELISA is an excellent diagnostic tool for sporotrichosis, given its potential to serve as a faster alternative to the standard method, in addition to its high sensitivity and specificity.