Evaluation of two point-of-care tests to diagnosis of FIV and FeLV infections

FIV and FeLV are Retrovirus associated mainly with feline neoplasms. Two point-of-care tests are commercially available in Brazil for diagnosis of these infections: a bidirectional flow immunochromatography kit (IDEXX SNAP (R) Combo) and a lateral unidirectional flow immunochromatography kit (ALERE/BIONOTE Anigen Rapid). The aim of this study was to compare SNAP (R) and ALERE tests. Blood samples obtained from 178 cats were evaluated using both tests. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was used as confirmatory test for all samples. The sensitivity and specificity of SNAP (R) test was 100% for FIV, and for ALERE test was 96.15% and 98.68%, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity for FeLV was 93.02% and 96.30% for SNAP (R) test and 90.70% and 97.78% for ALERE test. Three samples with a qPCR positive result for FeLV obtained a false negative result in both SNAP (R) and ALERE tests. There was no statistically significant difference between the two methods. Considering qPCR as gold standard method, the SNAP (R) test showed higher sensitivity and specificity for FIV, and the ALERE test presented higher specificity for FeLV. The results showed good agreement among the tests.