BattLab provides veterinarians with the most accurate and reliable serological allergy tests. The use of the Fc epsilon receptor (FcεR) allows an absolute IgE specificity with high sensitivity. In addition, the identification of antibodies against cross-reactive carbohydrate determinants (anti-CCD IgE) allows to determine samples that could be prone to false-positive reactions.
Anti-CCD IgE are believed to be clinically irrelevant. However, they are the cause of false multipositive results that may complicate the identification of the allergens that are really responsible for the clinical signs of atopic dermatitis. CCDs may lead to an incorrect selection of allergens to include in the allergen-specific immunotherapy.
A recently published peer-reviewed study (Gedon 2019) demonstrates the importance of blocking cross-reactive carbohydrate determinants (anti-CCD IgE) to make the identification of the offending environmental allergens in atopic dogs more accurate. According to this study, the results obtained with the Heska Allercept FcεR technology combined with blocking anti-CCD IgE, agrees with the results from the intradermal skin test (IDT).
Intradermal skin tests are still considered, by some dermatologists, as the test of choice to identify the allergens to include in an allergen-specific immunotherapy (ASIT). The FcεR technology is the reference in in vitro tests for the identification of the allergens to be included in ASIT. According to this study, it can be said that the serological tests used by BattLab are as much gold standard as the IDT for the identification of the allergens that need to be included in ASIT.
The study also shows that the prevalence of anti-CCD IgE in a canine atopic population is 38,7%, similar to what is seen in humans. BattLab uses the Heska CHO ELISA test to identify anti-CCD IgE antibodies in pollen and hymenoptera panels. When anti-CCD IgE antibodies are identified, the serum is tested in the presence of a proprietary CCD-blocking solution, avoiding the potential false positive results associated to the detection of anti-CCDIgE.
By using this unique and accurate technology, BattLab allow the proper selection of clinically relevant allergens for ASIT for your patients, avoiding the problems caused by the presence of anti-CCD antibodies.
Reference. Gedon NKY , Boehm TMSA, Klinger CJ , Udraite L and Mueller RS. Agreement of serum allergen test results with unblocked and blocked IgE against cross-reactive carbohydrate determinants (CCD) and intradermal test results in atopic dogs. Vet Dermatol 2019; 30: 195–e61
