- A new JAVMA study compared the performance of Antech’s Accuplex and IDEXX’s SNAP 4Dx Plus tests for canine tick-borne pathogen screening.
- Accuplex demonstrated 94% sensitivity for Ehrlichia antibody detection, compared with 58% for SNAP 4Dx Plus (P<.001), using indirect fluorescent antibody testing as the reference standard.
- Both diagnostic tests achieved greater than 90% sensitivity for Anaplasma antibodies and greater than 95% specificity.
- Accuplex uses a silicon surface multiplex immunoassay to screen for seven vector-borne disease indicators, including heartworm antigen.
- The study included researchers from Antech Diagnostics, Colorado State University and the University of Texas Medical Branch. Several authors are Antech employees.
A newly published study in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (JAVMA) found that Antech’s Accuplex diagnostic test demonstrated significantly greater sensitivity for detecting canine antibodies to Ehrlichia species than IDEXX’s SNAP 4Dx Plus test.
The peer-reviewed research evaluated the performance of the two screening platforms for antibodies associated with tick-borne infections in dogs, providing comparative data that may help veterinarians assess diagnostic options for routine preventive care.
According to the findings, Accuplex identified 94% of Ehrlichia-positive samples, as determined by the indirect fluorescent antibody (IFA) reference standard, while SNAP 4Dx Plus identified 58%. The difference was statistically significant (P<.001).
Both tests demonstrated comparable sensitivity for detecting Anaplasma antibodies and high specificity, suggesting that performance differences varied by the pathogen being evaluated.
Significant Difference in Ehrlichia Detection
The most notable finding was the difference in sensitivity for Ehrlichia species, a group of tick-transmitted bacteria associated with canine ehrlichiosis.
Accuplex detected a substantially greater proportion of antibody-positive samples than SNAP 4Dx Plus in the study.
The researchers also reported that both tests achieved sensitivity above 90% for Anaplasma species and specificity exceeding 95%.
These results suggest that Accuplex may offer an advantage for identifying prior exposure to Ehrlichia species under the conditions evaluated, while both platforms demonstrated strong performance in other measured categories.
Because serologic screening detects antibodies rather than directly confirming active infection, results should be interpreted alongside clinical findings, patient history and additional diagnostic testing when appropriate.
Implications for Routine Vector-Borne Disease Screening
Tick-borne diseases remain an important consideration in canine preventive medicine as vector distributions and pathogen exposure patterns change.
Jimmy Barr, DVM, DACVECC, chief medical officer at Antech, said veterinarians need diagnostic tools that can respond to evolving disease patterns and geographic risks.
The company said the findings provide additional evidence supporting Accuplex as an option for routine canine vector-borne disease screening.
Accuplex is a reference laboratory screening test that uses a proprietary silicon surface multiplex immunoassay (SSMIA) platform.
The test screens for seven vector-borne disease indicators, including antibodies associated with three Ehrlichia species, two Anaplasma species and Lyme disease, as well as antigen associated with heartworm (Dirofilaria immitis).
Study Disclosures and Industry Involvement
The study was conducted by researchers affiliated with Antech Diagnostics, Colorado State University and the University of Texas Medical Branch.
Several study authors are employees of Antech Diagnostics, which manufactures Accuplex. These relationships are disclosed in the published manuscript and are relevant when evaluating the findings of an industry-associated diagnostic comparison.
The study provides comparative performance data for the evaluated samples and pathogens but does not establish that one testing platform is superior for every clinical application or vector-borne disease.
Accessing the Published Research
The study, titled Silicon surface multiplex immunoassay (Accuplex) for antibodies against Anaplasma spp and Ehrlichia spp is a robust option for tick-borne pathogen screening in dogs, was published online ahead of print in JAVMA in 2026.
The research was authored by M. D. Evason, G. Bilbrough, J. L. Willcox, G. Freeman, J. W. McBride, M. R. Lappin and C. M. Leutenegger.
The full open-access study is available through JAVMA (2026).
Information sourced from the company’s press release.
