The main objective of this study is to standardize an ELISA for the diagnosis of feline
sporotrichosis. Sporothrix schenckii is the etiological agent of human and animal
sporotrichosis. Cats may act as reservoirs for S. schenckii and can transmit the
infection to humans by a
bite or scratch. There are few methods for the serological diagnosis of
fungal diseases in animals. In this paper, an ELISA test for the diagnosis of cat
sporotrichosis is proposed, which detects S. schenckii-specific
antibodies in feline sera. Two different kinds of
antigens were used: "SsCBF", a specific molecule from S. schenckii that consists of a Con A-binding fraction derived from a
peptido-rhamnomannan component of the cell wall, and a S. schenckii crude exoantigen preparation. The ELISA was developed, optimized, and evaluated using sera from 30 cats with proven
sporotrichosis (by culture isolation); 22 sera from healthy
feral cats from a zoonosis center were used as negative controls. SsCBF showed 90% sensitivity and 96% specificity in ELISA; while crude exoantigens demonstrated 96% sensitivity and 98% specificity. The ELISA assay described here would be a valuable screening tool for the detection of specific S. schenckii
antibodies in cats with
sporotrichosis. The assay is inexpensive, quick to perform, easy to interpret, and permits the diagnosis of feline
sporotrichosis.