7 May 2021
RVC student Collette Taylor’s PhD research is into development of novel diagnostic targets to find specific leptospira in canine clinical cases.
Vet Times
Job Title
Collette Taylor has set up a free diagnostic scheme as part of her PhD research into canine leptospirosis.
A free canine leptospirosis diagnostic scheme has been set up as part of an RVC student’s PhD research into the disease.
MSD Animal Health is funding Collette Taylor’s research into the development of novel diagnostic targets to establish specific leptospira implicated in canine cases.
As part of this, Dr Taylor has set up a free diagnostic scheme, which will allow vets the opportunity to discover more about suspected cases encountered in dogs in 2021.
Dr Taylor said: “Existing leptospirosis diagnostics have a number of limitations. Microscopic agglutination test (MAT) serological testing may provide information that can be supportive of a serogroup diagnosis, but may also provide false positives due to previous vaccination or indeed be confounded by cross-reactivity.
“It can also be difficult to interpret serology in the absence of paired samples. PCR tests are sensitive, usually specific, but are dependant on timing of sampling and do not tell you which serovar is concerned.
“My research is focused on offering more specialised diagnostic tests that can differentiate antibodies associated with infection from those due to vaccination.
“Extending this theme, our group is interested in further typing of samples where the leptospiral DNA is identified using multi-locus sequence typing. I am now at the stage of validation and we are able to offer additional testing of serum or blood test samples from confirmed clinical cases.”
During 2021 Dr Taylor is able to offer free of charge additional testing of PCR and/or MAT positive samples from suspected clinical cases. A questionnaire response is also required.
Samples must be from confirmed cases of leptospirosis that have already undergone leptospirosis diagnostics from another laboratory. For further information, contact [email protected]
John Helps – senior technical manager, companion animals for MSD – said: “Collette’s highly valuable research expands understanding of the epidemiology of canine leptospirosis within the UK. Veterinary practices that take advantage of this scheme will gain a better understanding of locally relevant disease data, which is likely to better inform the approach to dog vaccination.”
