Ready to use test for sporotrichosis diagnosis in domestic cats, based on Point of Care (PoC) strategy

Abstract

Sporotrichosis is a deep mycosis caused by fungi of the genus Sporothrix, a disease that affects humans and other mammals. Sporothrix brasiliensis, the main pathogenic species, is transmitted to humans by scratches or bites by infected domestic cats. In Brazil, it is considered a zoonotic hyperendemin, a disease still neglected and still underreported. It is estimated a population of 23.9 million cats in Brazil, this zoonosis being registered in all states of the federation in 2019. Based on the incidence of feline sporotrichosis, as notified by the Zoonosis Control of the Municipality of Rio de Janeiro, 8 to 10% of the feline population in the municipality is infected year by year. Therefore, we are talking about a potential market of at least 239 thousand infected cats / year in Brazil. The statistics are alarming: only in the city of Rio de Janeiro, between 2017 and 2019, 9,758 cases of sporotrichosis in domestic cats were notified and confirmed, while in the city of Guarulhos (SP) there was a 280% increase rate among years 2015 - 2016, followed by a 100% rate between 2017-2019. PAHO (WHO) published in 2019 a statement alerting Latin American countries to the need to monitor all felines on the borders of South America as the epidemic has already been detected in Argentina, Colombia, Bolivia and Paraguay. So far, there are no diagnostic tools for feline sporotrichosis that can be used directly by the Veterinarian in the office. Furthermore, the classic mycological methods are invasive (biopsy) and time consuming (15-30 days), not always conclusive. BIDiagnostics already provides a serological test for providing services (b2b). It is an ELISA method using the specific Sporothrix spp antigen, called ScCBF. The present project brings as innovation a new methodology for diagnosis and screening of feline sporotrichosis, the immunochromatographic test or "lateral flow", within the concept of point of care (PoC) test. The value proposition of this product consists of allowing the veterinary health professional to carry out the diagnosis at the tip, that is, in the doctor's office and at the time of the consultation, from a small blood sample obtained with a simple lancet in the animal's plantar cushion. This demand on the part of professionals was identified through interviews conducted during our training at PIPE-Empreendedor (12th edition) offered by FAPESP. There are currently no similar diagnostic tools for sporotrichosis in the pet market, which generated 20.3 billion reais in 2018 in Brazil and 124.6 billion dollars in the world market, where Brazil holds the 2nd place 5, 2%), behind the USA which holds 40.2% of the world market. In this pet market, where one of the biggest pains is infectious diseases, our proposal brings in addition to an innovative solution, autonomy to the veterinarian, with an excellent cost / benefit for this market. (AU)