Gc. Troy et al., PROFICIENCY TESTING OF SELECTED ANTIGEN AND ANTIBODY TESTS FOR USE INDOGS AND CATS, Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 209(5), 1996, pp. 914-917
Objective-To determine the correlation of seroimmunologic test results
between reference and nonreference laboratories. Design-Retrospective
data analysis. Procedure-Serum samples obtained from naturally infect
ed dogs and cats were distributed to reference and nonreference labora
tories for seroimmunologic testing. Correlation of test results was ev
aluated by use of nonparametric analysis. Results-Correlation coeffici
ents were high between laboratory groups for samples tested for feline
immunodeficiency virus antibodies, FeLV antigen, and toxoplasmosis an
tibodies in cats. Results for feline immunodeficiency virus antibody t
ests from reference laboratories were more likely to be positive than
results from nonreference laboratories. Test results for feline infect
ious peritonitis antibodies, antinuclear antibodies, and Borrelia anti
bodies in cats were not significant. Coefficient correlations were sig
nificant for results of heartworm antigen, Brucella antibodies, Toxopl
asma antibodies, antinuclear antibodies, and rheumatoid factor in dogs
. Results for Borrelia antibodies were not correlated between laborato
ry groups. Clinical implications-Results were highly correlated betwee
n reference and nonreference laboratories for 8 of 14 seroimmunologic
tests. Seroimmunologic tests for use in Cats were less correlated as a
group than those for use in dogs. Poor correlation of results between
laboratories was attributed to variations in control agents, antigens
, reagents, technical expertise, and cutoff values and end-point titer
s used for diagnosis.