ENZYME-LINKED IMMUNOELECTROTRANSFER BLOT ANALYSIS OF EXCRETORY-SECRETORY PROTEINS OF FASCIOLOIDES MAGNA AND FASCIOLA-HEPATICA

Fasciola hepatica is a parasite of cattle (Bos taurus), but not of whi te-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), while Fascioloides magna is a parasite of white-tailed deer which also infects cattle as dead-end h ost. Adult parasites were collected from naturally infected white-tail ed deer or cattle. Excretory-secretory proteins (ESP) were obtained fr om each parasite. Protein banding patterns were analysed on sodium dod ecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and probed using sera from experimentally infected deer or cattle using enzyme-li nked immunoelectrotransfer blot (EITB, also known as Western blot) ana lysis. Protein banding patterns of the two species were different, EIT B analysis of Fascioloides magna ESP using sera from Fascioloides magn a infected deer or cattle identified three bands of approximately 17, 22 and 27 kDa of which the 27 kDa antigen cross-reacted with sera from Fasciola hepatica infected cattle. EITB analysis of Fasciola hepatica ESP probed with sera from Fasciola hepatica infected cattle identifie d three bands of approximately 15, 26 and 46 kDa. The 46 and 26 kDa ES P cross-reacted with sera from Fascioloides magna infected cattle, but not with sera from Fascioloides magna infected deer. The band at 15 k Da which reacted specifically for Fasciola hepatica infected cattle se ra consisted of two protein bands close to each other as seen on the S DS-PAGE gel. The EITB reaction at approximately 17 kDa and 22 kDa of F ascioloides magna ESP, and at approximately 15 kDa of Fasciola hepatic a ESP can be used for species specific diagnosis.