Antigen detection has been reported to be a promising method for rapid diagnosis of
coccidioidomycosis in humans. Coccidioides
antigen detection has not been previously reported in dogs with
coccidioidomycosis and was evaluated in 60 cases diagnosed based on detection of anti-Coccidioides
antibodies at titers of 1:16 or more in serum. Controls included dogs with presumed
histoplasmosis or
blastomycosis, other
fungal infections, or nonfungal diseases and healthy dogs. Urine and serum specimens were tested using an
enzyme immunoassay for Coccidioides
galactomannan antigen. Antibody testing was performed at commercial veterinary reference laboratories.
Antigen was detected in urine or serum of 12 of 60 (20.0%), urine only in 2 of 57 (3.5%), and serum only in 11 of 58 (19.0%) dogs with
coccidioidomycosis.
Antigen was detected in the urine of 3 of 43 (7.0%) and serum of 1 of 37 (2.7%) dogs with
histoplasmosis or
blastomycosis but not in 13 dogs with other
fungal infections (serum, 9; urine, 13), 41 dogs with nonfungal diseases (urine, 41; serum, 18), or healthy dogs (serum, 21; urine, 21). Detection of
antigen was an insensitive method for diagnosis of
coccidioidomycosis in dogs in which the diagnosis was based primarily upon detection of
antibodies at titers of 1:16 or higher, and the highest sensitivity was in serum.