Lymphatic filariasis is a vector borne disease caused by canine heartworm and creeping filarial parasites, with main symptoms including circulatory disorders, difficulty breathing, anemia, etc. Heartworm is a species of canine filarial belonging to the family Trichomycteridae and genus Trichomycteria. It has a slender fan like shape and can reach a length of up to 30 centimeters. Heartworms are transmitted through mosquito bites and can infect dogs and cats of any age. Adult worms parasitize the right heart and pulmonary artery of dogs and cats, while larvae bred by female Heartworms enter the circulatory system of dogs and cats. In the early stages of illness in dogs and cats, the symptoms are not obvious and are easily overlooked. Once the heartworm develops into an adult and enters the heart and lungs of dogs and cats, the heart and lung function of dogs and cats will be damaged, causing a series of pathological changes. Cava syndrome is the most serious manifestation of heartworm infection.

 

     The heartworm antigen reagent is mainly used to detect circulating heartworm antigens in the blood of companion animals such as dogs and cats, to assist in the diagnosis of heartworm disease. Its applications cover multiple fields, including rapid on-site screening, precise laboratory diagnosis, large-scale epidemiological investigations, and basic scientific research.

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    In diagnostic testing, heartworm antigen reagents are often used using colloidal gold immunochromatography techniques (such as test strips) or enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Colloidal gold test strips are easy to operate, with fast results (10-15 minutes), no need for professional equipment, suitable for grassroots veterinarians or on-site testing, and a sensitivity of over 95%; But false negatives may occur, such as when the early infected adult is immature, only infected male adults, or when the antigen content is extremely low. The ELISA method amplifies signals through enzyme labeled antibodies, enabling quantitative or semi quantitative detection of antigens. Its sensitivity and specificity are slightly higher than colloidal gold methods, and it is commonly used for precise laboratory diagnosis or large-scale screening. It can also assist in determining the degree of infection (antigen content is related to the number of adult insects).

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    The sample types typically include whole blood, serum, or plasma from dogs and cats. Whole blood samples can be directly used for strip testing without the need for serum separation, making them more suitable for rapid on-site application; Serum or plasma samples are often used for laboratory testing such as ELISA.

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    The application of these reagents can help improve the early detection and prevention level of heartworm disease.