Evaluation of different diagnostic tests for Trypanosoma evansi infection among horses and camels in the Punjab Region, Pakistan

Abstract

Parasitological, serological and biochemical tests were used to determine Trypanosoma evansi infection in 170 horses and 150 camels sampled from Punjab region, Pakistan. The micro-Haematocrit Centrifugation Technique was used as gold standard method. Wet blood films, thin stained smears and thick stained smears showed a sensitivity of 0.8 and a specificity of 1. Positive and negative predictive values were 1 and 0.99, respectively. Serology using Suratex (R) showed a sensitivity of 1 and a specificity of 0.99. Positive and negative predictive values were 0.83 and 1, respectively. Biochemical tests showed a very low positive predictive value (around 0.38). None of the equines resulted positive at any method. In contrast, 5 (3.3%) and 6 (4%) camels were positive at parasitological and serological examination, respectively. These results seem to indicate that T. evansi infection has a relatively low prevalence in the Punjab region.