BACKGROUND Fecal polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing for Tritrichomonas foetus is considered the most sensitive means for diagnosis of infection but results could be influenced by fecal collection technique and prior use of antimicrobial drugs. OBJECTIVES To establish any association between fecal collection technique or treatment history and results of fecal PCR testing for T. foetus. ANIMALS Fecal samples from 1717 cats submitted by veterinarians between January 2012 and December 2017. METHODS This study used a retrospective analysis. T. foetus PCR test results from 1808 fecal samples submitted for diagnostic testing were examined for their association with method of fecal collection and prior antimicrobial treatments. Data were collected from sample submission form. RESULTS Positive T. foetus PCR test results were obtained for 274 (16%) cats. Fecal samples collected via fecal loop had increased probability of positive PCR test results (odds ratio [OR] 2.04, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.31-3.17, P = .002) compared to samples collected by colonic flush. There was no association between PCR test results and treatment history, treatment type, or prior treatment with ronidazole. After an initial positive PCR test, 4/19 (21%; 95% CI 2.7%-39.4%) cats treated with ronidazole had a second positive test result. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE Results of this study support that fecal samples collected by loop might be better for PCR diagnosis of T. foetus infection. Lack of association of ronidazole with PCR test results and a 21% all-potential-causes failure rate of ronidazole in cats with preconfirmed infection are important limitations to use of this drug.

中文翻译：

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1717 只猫的粪便样本采集技术和治疗史与胎儿三滴虫聚合酶链反应测试结果的关联。

背景技术 胎儿三滴虫的粪便聚合酶链反应（PCR）检测被认为是诊断感染最敏感的方法，但结果可能受到粪便收集技术和先前使用的抗菌药物的影响。目的 确定粪便收集技术或治疗史与胎儿毛滴虫粪便 PCR 检测结果之间的关联。动物 兽医在 2012 年 1 月至 2017 年 12 月期间提交的 1717 只猫的粪便样本。 方法 本研究采用回顾性分析。对提交用于诊断检测的 1808 份粪便样本的胎儿毛滴虫 PCR 检测结果进行了检查，以确定其与粪便收集方法和先前抗菌治疗的关联。数据是从样本提交表中收集的。结果 274 只 (16%) 猫的胎儿毛滴虫 PCR 检测结果呈阳性。与通过结肠冲洗收集的样本相比，通过粪便环收集的粪便样本的 PCR 检测结果呈阳性的可能性更高（比值比 [OR] 2.04，95% 置信区间 [CI] 1.31-3.17，P = 0.002）。PCR 检测结果与治疗史、治疗类型或既往罗硝唑治疗之间没有关联。在初次 PCR 检测呈阳性后，接受罗硝唑治疗的猫中有 4/19 (21%; 95% CI 2.7%-39.4%) 出现第二次阳性检测结果。结论和临床重要性 本研究的结果表明，通过循环收集的粪便样本可能更适合 PCR 诊断胎儿毛滴虫感染。罗硝唑与 PCR 检测结果缺乏关联，并且在预先确诊感染的猫中罗硝唑的全可能失败率为 21%，这些都是使用该药物的重要限制。