Catching Pet Infections Earlier with DNA‑Based Rapid Tests

More than 70% of households in the United States have at least one pet. They offer steadfast companionship and emotional support, and many owners are well acquainted with routine veterinary care. But despite regular check-ups, one persistent challenge is the early identification of infectious diseases. Unlike people, pets can’t verbalize how they feel, and their symptoms may be subtle or completely invisible. For pathogens that spread easily and can be life‑threatening, delays in detection can complicate treatment and increase the risk of transmission. Some pet pathogens also pose potential risks to humans, further underscoring the value of reliable early screening.

Several rapid testing options are already available for pets. Most rely on lateral flow immunoassays that detect viral proteins and provide quick, instrument‑free results. However, these tests often lack the sensitivity needed to identify infections early, when viral levels are still low.

A DNA‑based alternative

An alternative approach is recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA), a method that amplifies viral DNA at a constant, relatively low temperature (close to body temperature). This makes RPA attractive for settings outside the laboratory and compatible with lateral flow assays that provide a visual readout. The challenge is that RPA can amplify unintended material, which can lead to false positives if not carefully controlled.

In a recent Analytical Chemistry study, researchers addressed this limitation by pairing RPA with a selective recognition step that improves specificity before the lateral flow readout. After amplification, an enzyme‑assisted process converts only the correct DNA products into a form that can be recognized by a probe on the test strip, while ignoring spurious byproducts. The result, which builds upon the team's previous work, is a DNA‑based lateral flow assay designed to be both sensitive and selective.

Testing real‑world pet pathogens

The team evaluated the method using feline panleukopenia virus (FPV) and canine parvovirus (CPV), two closely related pathogens that can cause severe disease in cats and dogs. In lab tests and veterinary clinic samples, the assay detected viral levels far below the limits of commercial protein‑based rapid tests. Results from real fecal and anal swab samples matched those obtained by PCR (a standard method for detecting viral genetic material) and in some cases identified infections that standard lateral flow tests missed.

Because FPV and CPV share conserved genetic features, the same approach could be applied to both viruses. The researchers also explored a dual‑line test strip capable of screening for two pathogens at once, including FPV and feline herpesvirus (FHV-1), which can co‑infect cats. While sensitivity dropped at very low viral levels in this proof‑of‑concept format, the results point to the possibility of multiplexed screening using familiar test‑strip designs. Although further validation would be needed before widespread use, the work highlights a path toward more reliable, low‑infrastructure testing that could complement existing veterinary diagnostics and help pet owners stay one step ahead of infections.

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