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Identification of an antigen of Onchocerca volvulus of possible diagnostic use

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 April 2009

M. Philipp
Affiliation:
Divisions of Parasitology and Immunology, National Institute for Medical Research, Mill Hill, London NW7 1AA
A. Gómez-Priego
Affiliation:
Faculty of Medicine, National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), Commissioned to the Centre for Ecological Research of the Southeast (CIES), San Cristóbal de las Casas, Chiapas, México (Collaborative Centre, PAHO-WHO)
R. M. E. Parkhouse
Affiliation:
Divisions of Parasitology and Immunology, National Institute for Medical Research, Mill Hill, London NW7 1AA
M. W. Davies
Affiliation:
Divisions of Parasitology and Immunology, National Institute for Medical Research, Mill Hill, London NW7 1AA
N. W. T. Clark
Affiliation:
Divisions of Parasitology and Immunology, National Institute for Medical Research, Mill Hill, London NW7 1AA
Bridget M. Ogilvie
Affiliation:
Divisions of Parasitology and Immunology, National Institute for Medical Research, Mill Hill, London NW7 1AA
F. Beltrán-Hernández
Affiliation:
Faculty of Medicine, National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), Commissioned to the Centre for Ecological Research of the Southeast (CIES), San Cristóbal de las Casas, Chiapas, México (Collaborative Centre, PAHO-WHO)

Summary

Adult Onchocerca volvulus worms obtained by enzyme digestion from nodules of infected Mexicans were radio-isotope labelled by the chloramine-T or Bolton–Hunter methods. No antigenic determinants were detected in extracts of worms labelled by the chloramine-T method but 3 antigens were detected in extracts of the Bolton–Hunter labelled worms. Two were present in such small amounts that it was impractical to investigate them further, but a major component of mol. wt 20 kDa was purified by gel filtration and used in a serological survey of inhabitants of villages in Southern Mexico. Using the 20 kDa antigen, which is superficially located on both sexes of O. volvulus, sera from both non-endemic and endemic regions were analysed by radio-immunoprecipitation of this antigen. In Southern Mexico, the average sensitivity of the test was 92%, and the specificity 98%. Whilst the 20 kDa antigen did not detect antibodies in the sera of Trinidadians infected with Wuncheria bancrofti or Mansonella ozzardi, this antigen detected high levels of antibodies in Indians exposed to W. bancrofti.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1984

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