IMMUNODIAGNOSIS OF FASCIOLIASIS IN HORSES AND PIGS USING WESTERN BLOTS

Crude and partially purified somatic (S) and excretory-secretory (ES) antigens of Fasciola hepatica were subjected to Western blot analysis in order to identify polypeptides that would enable specific and sensi tive immunodiagnosis of horse and pig fasciolosis to be undertaken. Se ra from 20 horses and 20 pigs with natural infections of F. hepatica a nd the same number of uninfected hosts of each species were tested, to gether with sera from 2 pigs with Cysticercus cellulosae infections. U sing crude S antigens, sera from infected horses and pigs reacted spec ifically with a wide range of polypeptides of 14-19, 22-30, 35-37 and 42kDa. Likewise, specific reactivity between polypeptides of 14-17, 22 -30 and 40-42 kDa in crude ES antigens and sera from infected horses a nd pigs was obtained. Against the criteria of high sensitivity and spe cificity, the 22-30-kDa polypeptides would appear to be the most suita ble candidate antigens for use in the immunodiagnosis of fasciolosis i n horses and pigs. (C) 1997 Australian Society for Parasitology. Publi shed by Elsevier Science Ltd.