EVALUATION OF A RECOMBINANT PARASITE ANTIGEN FOR THE DIAGNOSIS OF LYMPHATIC FILARIASIS

We evaluated the usefulness of a recombinant parasite antigen (recSXP1 ) for the serologic diagnosis of lymphatic filariasis. A large proport ion of sera from microfilaremic donors living in five different endemi c countries (356 of 446 [80%]) contained IgG antibodies to recSXP1, as do sera from similar to 33% of amicrofilaremic patients with acute fi larial disease and/or indirect evidence of active filarial infection. Exposure to filarial worms per se does not appear sufficient to elicit an anti-SXP1 antibody response. Thus, this serologic test identifies a large proportion of persons with active lymphatic filariasis among r esidents of endemic areas.