BANCROFTIAN FILARIASIS-DIFFERENTIAL REACTIVITY OF ANTI-SHEATH ANTIBODIES IN MICROFILARIAE CARRIERS

Anti-sheath antibodies have been detected using an immunofluorescent a ssay (IFAT) in the sera of microfilar iae carriers (AS cases) residing in areas endemic for Bancroftian filariasis, Microfilariae (mf) of Wu chereria bancrofti purified from five different mf carriers were used separately as antigen to identify anti-sheath antibodies. The reactivi ty of sera from AS cases to mf sheath was found to be variable to the five different mf preparations. While as high as 25% of the sera react ed with mf purified from one individual, none of them reacted with mf purified from two other individuals. Such a differential reactivity to the sheath was found to be a feature of antibodies in AS cases only. Sera of seven amicrofilaraemic patients with elephantiasis reacted uni formly with all five mf preparations. The possible existence of polymo rphic antigen(s) on the sheath of W. bancrofti mf has been proposed.