Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39994685›Full record

ArticleTropical medicine and health2025

Evaluation of lateral flow devices for rabies diagnosis in decomposed animal brain samples.

Ryota Todoroki, Joely T Ongtangco, Kazunori Kimitsuki, Nobuo Saito, Milagros R Mananggit, Cornelio R Velasco, Jaira D Mauhay, Alyssa M Garcia, Catalino S Demetria, Yamada Kentaro and 1 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Tropical medicine and health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Ryota TodorokiDepartment of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Oita University, Yufu, Oita, Japan.
Joely T Ongtangco *Regional Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, Department of Agriculture, Regional Field Office III, Tarlac, Tarlac, Philippines.
Kazunori Kimitsuki *Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Oita University, Yufu, Oita, Japan.
Nobuo SaitoResearch Center for Global and Local Infectious Diseases, Oita University, Yufu, Oita, Japan. nsaito@nagasaki-u.ac.jp.
Milagros R MananggitRegional Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, Department of Agriculture, Regional Field Office III, Tarlac, Tarlac, Philippines.
Cornelio R VelascoRegional Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, Department of Agriculture, Regional Field Office III, Tarlac, Tarlac, Philippines.
Jaira D MauhayDepartment of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Oita University, Yufu, Oita, Japan.
Alyssa M GarciaDepartment of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Oita University, Yufu, Oita, Japan.
Catalino S DemetriaResearch Institute for Tropical Medicine, Muntinlupa, Metro Manila, Philippines.
Yamada KentaroLaboratory of Veterinary Public Health, Department of Veterinary Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Miyazaki, Miyazaki, Miyazaki, Japan.
Akira NishizonoDepartment of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Oita University, Yufu, Oita, Japan.

Funding

Japan Society for the Promotion of Science 24KK0174JICA/AMED SATREPS 17823721
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe Direct Fluorescent Antibody Test (DFAT), the standard rabies confirmatory test, is less sensitive when used with decomposed brain samples, a frequent issue in rabies-endemic regions. This study evaluates the diagnostic accuracy of the ADTEC lateral flow device (LFD) for rabies post-mortem diagnosis using decomposed brain samples.

methodsWe used 34 animal heads submitted with a cold chain to an animal diagnostic laboratory located in central Philippines including 26 DFAT-positive and eight DFAT-negative samples. After defrosting the heads, the entire brain was extracted and left at room temperature to induce decomposition. The decomposition status was scored after 1 day, 3 days, and 4 days at room temperature. DFAT and LFD were performed using the brain samples at each timepoint to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy. The day of animal head submission to the laboratory was defined as day 0, and the DFAT results were used as the reference. Image analysis was performed to measure the intensity of the LFD-positive bands.

resultsThe decomposition scores dropped by day 3 and day 4, with all samples exhibiting signs of advanced decomposition. The sensitivity of DFAT was 96.2% (95% confidence interval 80.4-99.9) on day 1, but dropped to 61.5% (P < 0.01) by day 3 and further decreased to 38.5% (20.2-59.4) by day 4. In contrast, the sensitivities and specificities of LFD on day 1, day 3, and day 4 were consistently 100% (86.3-100) and 100% (63.1-100), respectively. Visual examination of the test band intensity on the LFD suggested that the intensity of the positive bands increased as decomposition progressed.

conclusionsADTEC LFDs demonstrated consistently high sensitivity and specificity with decomposed brain samples observed up to day 4, making them a reliable screening tool for rabies post-mortem diagnosis in decomposed brain samples, particularly in resource-limited settings. Furthermore, LFD positive bands became more distinct as decomposition advanced.

Indexed as

Decomposed sampleDFATLFDRabiesThe Philippines

Identifiers

PMID39994685
PMCPMC11853130

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.