Abstract
Electrophoretic analysis of various developmental stage specific somatic antigens of Paramphistomum epiclitum (Digenea: Paramphistomidae), namely, metacercariae (McAg), immature intestinal flukes (ImIAg), immature ruminal flukes (ImRAg), and adult flukes (AAg), was done by native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Result revealed presence of 3 (range 15.2–40.3 kDa), 13 (9.3–121.2 kDa), 14 (9.3–169.3 kDa), and 15 (8.0–169.3 kDa) polypeptides in McAg, ImIAg, ImRAg, and AAg, respectively. With an aim to identify a suitable immunodiagnostic antigen for early diagnosis of amphistomosis, the IgG antibody response to various developmental stage antigens in goats experimentally infected with metacercariae of P. epiclitum was evaluated by ELISA. The highest OD values were recorded with ImIAg which ranged between 0.23 and 0.55 with a significant increase from the 2nd week till 8th week of infection with a peak at 6th week. The analysis of statistical significance using a one-way analysis of variance with multiple pair wise comparisons revealed that IgG response was significantly higher with all antigens (P < 0.01) except McAg (P > 0.05) with a maximum mean difference of 0.1838 in comparison to control with ImIAg, thus, indicating that ImIAg which could be further exploited for its potential is a candidate for immunodiagnostic antigen for early diagnosis of amphistomosis.
Highlights
Paramphistomum epiclitum (Digenea: Paramphistomidae) is a gastric trematode affecting ruminants with a wide range of geographic distribution and is prevalent in several states of India [1,2,3,4]
The humoral IgG response generated in goats experimentally infected with metacercariae of P. epiclitum was monitored through Enzyme Linked Immunosorbant Assay (ELISA) by using all four stage specific somatic antigens (McAg, immunodominant polypeptides of the most immunogenic (ImIAg), ImRAg, and AAg) up to 8 weeks post infection
A negligible antibody response was recorded when McAg was used for ELISA as the OD values in the experimentally infected goat sera were almost similar to noninfected control up to 8 wpi
Summary
Paramphistomum epiclitum (Digenea: Paramphistomidae) is a gastric trematode affecting ruminants with a wide range of geographic distribution and is prevalent in several states of India [1,2,3,4]. Upon ingestion of viable metacercariae once inside the duodenum and jejunum, their cysts are removed, they penetrate the intestinal wall by actively destroying the mucosa and migrate to the rumen, where they grow into adult [5]. The adult stages generally have low pathogenicity while the migrating immature ones cause severe pathology and even kill the host in heavy infections as they are attached to the wall of the small intestine causing hemorrhagic inflammation, characterized by focal infiltration of macrophages and lymphocytes in the lamina propria [6]. The injury caused in ruminants severely affects production, since these parasites cause a lower feed conversion, a loss of weight, and/or a decrease in milk production, responsible for severe economic losses [7]
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