Diagnostic tests
Uranotest Dirofilaria
Detection of antigen Dirofilaria immitis in blood, serum or plasma.
Test available for reading in the Uranotest Smart Reader app.
| Specs | |
|---|---|
| Purpose: | Detection of Dirofilaria immitis antigen |
| Sample: | Whole blood, serum, plasma |
| Sensitivity: | 94 % versus necropsy |
| Specificity: | 100 % versus necropsy |
| Execution time: | 30 seconds |
| Reading time: | 15 minutes |
| Presentation: | Boxes with 5 or 10 tests |
| Registration No: | 1645 RD |
| *Includes EDTA tubes for blood collection |
Characteristics
- 14 Kda antigen detection not related to the parasite’s feminine genital apparatus, so it detects both male and female parasites.
- Detects infestations with a load of only 1 adult parasite of any type (males, adult females, immature females, females that have not spread).
Information for the veterinarian
The Uranotest Dirofilaria diagnostic kit is based on the immunochromatographic technique and is designed for the qualitative detection of Dirofilaria immitis (D. immitis) in feline and canine whole blood, serum and plasma. The test uses specific antibodies to identify D. immitis antigens with high sensitivity.
The test consists of several overlapped membranes. On one of the membranes, there are a test line (T line) and control line (C line). The lines are not visible before applying the sample. After applying the sample in the appropriate sample well, migration begins by capillarity action through the membrane. If the result is negative, one purple colour band appears in the C area. This line, called control line, always appears, as it is a control line indicating that the test has successfully performed. If the test result is positive, in addition to the control line, a second line will form in the test area (Test line).
- Test devices individually packaged in aluminium pouch.
- Dropper bottle with buffer solution.
- Disposable capillary pipettes for sample collection. The dark band present in the capillary indicates the volume needed to run the test.
- Vials with anticoagulant (EDTA) for blood collection..
- Instructions for use.
- For veterinary use only.
- Wear disposable gloves when handling the samples. All samples should be treated as potentially infectious. Wash and disinfect hands after handling. Avoid aerosol formation when dispensing the sample.
- To obtain good results, it is important to add the correct sample volume.
- Open the device just before use.
- All reagents must be at room temperature before performing the test.
- Do not use the test if the envelope is damaged or broken.
- Do not re-use.
- 8 - Do not use reagents after the expiry date.
- The quality of each component of the kit has been individually assessed for each batch. Do not mix components or reagents from kits with different batch numbers.
DOCUMENTATION FOR THE VETERINARY
* This information is available only to veterinarians. Clicking the download link declares that possess appropriate qualifications to access the content..
Frequently Asked Questions
The detection of antigen Dirofilaria immitis in circulating blood.
Reliability is comparable when you use any of them.
However, when we work with very haemolysed or lipemic blood, it is always preferable to use serum or plasma, since haemolysis and lipemia are factors that interfere with any diagnostic technique, both at the clinic and at the Laboratory.
No. It is advisable to use the disposable pipette we provide and to dispense 3 drops on the sample pad.
Administering volume sample other than as recommended may lead to an erroneous result.
Yes. You may use any other tube with anticoagulant treated with heparin, citrate or EDTA or with anticoagulant, if what you wish to do is use serum as a sample. The kit includes tubes with EDTA for your greater comfort and savings, but you may use any other one.
You should proceed as if it were for any other laboratory procedure.
The whole blood must be kept refrigerated at between 2ºC and 8ºC for no more than 24 hours. It should never be frozen.
If you are not going to be able to use it before 24 hours, separate the plasma by centrifugation or the serum by sedimentation, and you may keep it at between 2ºC and 8ºC for up to 72 hours. To preserve it for longer, freezing is recommended.
No, as with any other diagnostic procedure, you must wait until it reaches room temperature. If want to speed this process up, hold the tube between your hands for at least 20 minutes. Many veterinarians do not take this circumstance into account, and incorrect temperature is one of the most frequent causes behind false results.
At 15 minutes, you can read with total reliability.
After that time, degradation and diffusion of the colours on the strip may occur. This does not happen with all tests, but the recommendation is that the test should always be repeated if the reading was not taken before the indicated time, since this may lead to an erroneous interpretation.
No. To make the technique even simpler, the Uranotest Dirofilaria was developed so that it can be carried out with no need for a revealing buffer.
By only depositing 3 drops of blood, serum or plasma on the round pad, migration begins immediately.
Screening or early diagnosis in preventative campaigns is one of the main applications for Dirofilaria Uranotests. As such, most of the time, a positive result will not be accompanied by clinical symptoms.
Dirofilaria Uranotest detects both male and female parasites, as of just one parasite of any type (males, adult females, immature females and non-propagated females), which makes this a very sensitive and useful technique for early disease diagnosis, including in very initial phases.
If this is the case, we recommend that you verify the following points:
- If the test was performed with a very haemolysed sample, or with lipemia, that may have interfered in the reaction.
- If a blood, serum or plasma sample that was kept cold and not brought up to appropriate room temperature was used.
- If the test was kept in the refrigerator and not brought up to room temperature before doing the test.
- If the aluminium envelope containing the test was open.
- If expired tests were used.
- If the test was not left in horizontal position before reading the results.
Our recommendation is:
- 1st Repeat the test, carefully following instructions to discard improper execution.
- 2nd Contact our technical assistance staff to report your case, analyse it and investigate possible causes.
