Mls. Silva et al., ANTIGENIC COMPONENTS OF EXCRETORY-SECRETORY PRODUCTS OF ADULT FASCIOLA-HEPATICA RECOGNIZED IN HUMAN INFECTIONS, The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene, 54(2), 1996, pp. 146-148
Citations number
17
Categorie Soggetti
Public, Environmental & Occupation Heath","Tropical Medicine
The antigenic components of excretory-secretory products (ESP) of adul
t worms of Fasciola hepatica were revealed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-p
olyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and Western blot analysis using sera
from 20 patients infected with F. hepatica. Sera from 184 other paras
itic infections and 20 healthy volunteers were also analyzed. It was f
ound that the ESP were composed of more than 11 polypeptides; five com
ponents detected in fascioliasis sera had molecular weights of 12.4, 1
6.4, 19.4, 25, and 27 kilodaltons (kD). Only the 25- and 27-kD compone
nts were recognized by all 20 fascioliasis sera. Using the ESP as anti
gen, it was possible to perform an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay w
ith a sensitivity of 95% and a specificity of 97%. Sera from other par
asitic infections had antibodies to antigenic components with apparent
molecular weights of 37, 38.4, 52, 57, 63, 73, 87, 109, and 116 kD th
at were also found in sera from fascioliasis patients. These findings
suggested that the 25- and 27-kD antigenic components may be sensitive
and specific for the diagnosis of human fascioliasis.