Comparison of intradermal testing and serum testing for allergen-specific IgE using monoclonal IgE antibodies in 84 atopic dogs

摘要

84 dogs with the clinical diagnosis of atopic dermatitis underwent intradermal skin testing and serum testing for allergen-specific IgE using an ELISA. Positive reactions were compared and the sensitivity and specificity of the serum test (using intradermal skins test as the standard) were determined overall and for individual allergen groups (grass pollens, weed pollens, tree pollens, house dust mites and fleas). The sensitivity of the ELISA was 90.4%. Evaluating the individual allergen groups, the sensitivity for dust mite hypersensitivity was 95.1%, for fleas 85.4%, for tree pollens 84.3%, for grass pollens 95.1% and for weed pollens 96.4%. The specificity was 91.6% overall, for dust mites 96.3%, for fleas 92.7%, for tree pollens 95.2%, for grass pollens 94% and for weed pollens 80.7%. It is concluded that the ELISA is reliable for diagnosing atopy in practice and can be recommended as a screening test before intradermal skin testing or for use in dogs when immunotherapy is not a therapeutic option.