Abstract
BackgroundThe excretory–secretory (ES) antigens of Trichinella spiralis muscle larvae (ML) are the most commonly used diagnostic antigens for trichinellosis. Their main disadvantage for the detection of anti-Trichinella IgG is false-negative results during the early stage of infection. Additionally, there is an obvious window between clinical symptoms and positive serology.MethodsELISA with adult worm (AW) ES antigens was used to detect anti-Trichinella IgG in the sera of experimentally infected mice and patients with trichinellosis. The sensitivity and specificity were compared with ELISAs with AW crude antigens and ML ES antigens.ResultsIn mice infected with 100 ML, anti-Trichinella IgG were first detected by ELISA with the AW ES antigens, crude antigens and ML ES antigens 8, 12 and 12 days post-infection (dpi), respectively. In mice infected with 500 ML, specific antibodies were first detected by ELISA with the three antigen preparations at 10, 8 and 10 dpi, respectively. The sensitivity of the ELISA with the three antigen preparations for the detection of sera from patients with trichinellosis at 35 dpi was 100 %. However, when the patients’ sera were collected at 19 dpi, the sensitivities of the ELISAs with the three antigen preparations were 100 % (20/20), 100 % (20/20) and 75 % (15/20), respectively (P < 0.05). The specificities of the ELISAs with the three antigen preparations were 98.11, 95.60 and 89.31 %, respectively (P < 0.05).ConclusionsThe sensitivity and specificity of the T. spiralis AW ES antigens were superior to those of the AW crude antigens and ML ES antigens. Thus, the AW ES antigens might serve as potential antigens for the early and specific serodiagnosis of trichinellosis.
Highlights
The excretory–secretory (ES) antigens of Trichinella spiralis muscle larvae (ML) are the most commonly used diagnostic antigens for trichinellosis
The detection rates of anti-Trichinella IgG by ELISA with the adult worms (AW) and ML ES antigens were 100 % in mice infected with T. nativa, T. britovi and T. nelsoni
When the sera of mice infected with T. nativa, T. britovi, T. nelson or T. pseudospiralis were assessed by ELISA with the AW crude antigens, the antibody detection rates were significantly lower compared to the ELISA with the ML ES antigens
Summary
The excretory–secretory (ES) antigens of Trichinella spiralis muscle larvae (ML) are the most commonly used diagnostic antigens for trichinellosis. Their main disadvantage for the detection of anti-Trichinella IgG is false-negative results during the early stage of infection. Humans acquire the disease by ingesting raw or insufficiently cooked meat of pigs or other animals containing the Trichinella larvae [1]. Following the ingestion of infested meat, Trichinella larvae are released from their capsules to invade the upper small intestine and mature into adult worms (AW). In 2–3 weeks, the fertilized females produce ~1500 newborn larvae that migrate via the blood and lymphatic systems to invade and encapsulate in the skeletal muscles (muscular or acute phase). Eyelid or facial oedema, myalgia, and eosinophilia are the most prominent manifestations [6, 7]
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