Evaluation of an Immunodiagnostic Test Based on the Use of Wuchereria bancrofti Mf ES Antigen in ELISA for Bancroftian Filariasis

Abstract

Bancroftian filariasis caused by human filarial parasite Wuchereria bancrofti affecting 250 million people in the world is a major public health problem in developing tropical countries. Parasitological examination techniques are not useful for diagnosis of filariasis with low microfilaraemia, occult or chronic infections. Studies using homologous antigen for diagnosis are scanty. Presence of filarial antibody in filariasis was detected by indirect haemagglutination, indirect fluorescent antibody test and penicillinase enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (Kaliraj et al. 1981). Fractionation of soluble microfilarial antigen by Sephadex G-150 gel filtration followed by DEAE-cellulose chromatography gave mfS3e antigen fraction which was useful in distinguishing microfilaraemia from endemic normals and clinical filariasis by ELISA (Kaliraj et al. 1982). Wuchereria bancrofti excretory and secretory (ES) antigens were found to be highly sensitive and as little as 0.35 ng of antigen protein per well in ELISA was found to be sufficient in detection of antibody in filarial sera (Kharat et al. 1982). Filter paper blood sample has been used for detection of filarial antibody by ELISA (Malhotra et al. 1982).KeywordsIndirect Fluorescent Antibody TestBancroftian FilariasisHomologous AntigenEndemic NormalIndirect Hemagglutination TestThese keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.