An alternative, less invasive blood sample collection technique for serologic studies utilizing triatomine bugs...

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Medicine
• Parasitology
• Animal Science

Background:

• Conventional blood collection methods can cause stress and require anesthesia in animals.
• Minimally invasive techniques are sought for improved animal welfare and sample acquisition.
• Bloodsucking insects, like Dipetalogaster maximus, are being explored for novel blood collection.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of Dipetalogaster maximus for collecting blood samples in domestic rabbits.
• To compare antibody titers obtained via insect feeding versus conventional venipuncture for RHDV serology.

Main Methods:

• Paired blood samples were collected from 20 rabbits using D. maximus feeding and standard needle-and-syringe venipuncture.
• Samples were analyzed for rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV) antibodies using commercial test kits at multiple dilutions.
• Simple matching indices were calculated to assess agreement between the two collection methods.

Main Results:

• Antibody titers were identical in 56 of 60 paired samples.
• High agreement (simple matching indices of 1 and 0.9) was observed across different dilutions.
• The D. maximus method proved effective even when conventional venipuncture was challenging.

Conclusions:

• Dipetalogaster maximus feeding is a viable and less invasive method for blood collection in rabbits for serological testing.
• This technique may eliminate the need for anesthesia and allow blood collection from difficult-to-access sites.
• The insect-based method demonstrates high concordance with conventional techniques, supporting its use in veterinary diagnostics.