EXCRETORY-SECRETORY ANTIGENS OF SETARIA-CERVI MICROFILARIAE

The excretory-secretory (ES) products from microfilariae (Mf) of Setar ia cervi, a bovine filarial parasite, were prepared by in vitro mainte nance of microfilariae at 37 degrees C in Ringer's solution. The micro filarial ES (MfES) products were analysed by immunoelectrophoresis, co unter-current immunoelectrophoresis and enzyme-linked immunosorbent as say (ELISA) using immune rabbit sera. Immunoelectrophoretic analysis o f MfES products using rabbit anti-S. cervi Mf antigen serum, showed th e presence of 6-7 antigens in ES products while 3-4 and 4-5 antigens w ere observed with rabbit anti-S. cervi adult ES (ScA ES) serum and rab bit anti-Brugia malayi Mf (BmMf) serum, respectively. Both the immune rabbit sera (rabbit anti-ScMf and rabbit anti-BmMf) exhibited a recipr ocal antibody titre of 400 000 in ELISA. The S. cervi MfES products sh owed high reactivity with the antibodies present in filarial patient s era and may provide an easily available source of diagnostic filarial antigens.