V. Chenthamarakshan et al., ANALYSIS AND DIAGNOSTIC USE OF BRUGIA-MALAYI ADULT ANTIGEN IN BANCROFTIAN FILARIASIS, Journal of tropical medicine and hygiene, 98(4), 1995, pp. 233-240
Detergent-soluble antigens of Brugia malayi adult worms (BmA SDS S Ag)
were analysed for their antigenic activity and potential use in diagn
osis of bancroftian filariasis. Analysis of SDS-PAGE fractions of BmA
SDS S Ag against antifilarial antibodies, that is, human filarial seru
m immunoglobulin G and anti BmA SDS S Ag antibody, revealed two active
antigen fractions: BmA-6 and BmA-9. Antibodies raised to BmA-6 and Bm
A-9 were tested with antigens isolated from infected human body fluids
such as circulating filarial antigen (CFA(2)), urinary filarial antig
en (UFAC(2)) and hydrocele fluid antigen (HFA). Both antibodies showed
high reactivity with CFA(2)-1, 6 and 9 as well as UFAC(2)-5, 6 and 9
antigenic fractions. In immunoblotting studies, anti BmA-6 antibody de
tected specific antigens of high microfilaraemic reactivity such as 12
0, 54, 26 and 22 kDa. In inhibition ELISA using anti BmA SDS S Ag anti
body and antigen fraction BmA-6, filarial antigen was detected in 85%
of microfilaraemic, 35% of clinical filarial and 20% of endemic normal
sera samples. When anti BmA SDS S Ag antibody and BmA-9 were used, 80
% of microfilaraemic, 35% of clinical filarial and 25% of endemic norm
al sera showed positive reaction for filarial antigen. The analysis of
urine samples showed the presence of filarial antigen in 76 and 72% o
f microfilaraemic cases using BmA-6 and BmA-9 fractions respectively w
hile only 20% of endemic normals were positive using both the antigen
fractions. High inhibitory antigen titre was noticed against BmA-6 ant
igen in microfilaraemic sera. BmA-6 was found to be comparatively more
sensitive in the detection of active bancroftian filarial infection.