Abstract
In a recent issue of Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, published in Rio de Janeiro in February 2014 (109: 87-92), Adami et al. have published a survey reporting Mansonella parasite prevalence in the Amazon Region. This report makes a useful contribution to the existing knowledge of filarial parasite distribution within the Amazon area, parasite prevalence rates in relation to age and occupation and provides observations on the possible clinical impact of Mansonella ozzardi. Their publication also provides an account of what appears to be a novel ELISA that has recently been used in the Simuliidae and Onchocerciasis Laboratory of the Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. We are concerned that the publication of this ELISA may have created an excessively positive impression of the effectiveness of the onchocerciasis recrudescence serological surveillance tools that are presently available for use in the Amazonia onchocerciasis focus. In this letter we have, thus, sought to highlight some of the limitations of this ELISA and suggest how continuing insecurities concerning the detection of antibodies to Onchocerca volvulus within the Amazonia onchocerciasis focus might be minimised.
Highlights
With the information provided by Adami et al (2014), the ELISA’s potential value cannot be properly measured against the ELISAs described in Lobos et al (1991) and Bradley et al (1993) or other important serological surveillance tools like the Lipner et al (2006) assay which has been used for recrudescence monitoring in other Latin American onchocerciasis foci
In the Adami et al (2008) paper an O. volvulus ELISA is described as having cross-reacted with 40% of the tested M. ozzardi positive sera from Vila Antimary, whereas the O. volvulus ELISA reported in the Adami et al (2014) is said to have crossreacted with none of the M. ozzardi positive sera samples taken from the very same site
In light of the outstanding issues relating to O. volvulus ELISA cross-reactivity with M. ozzardi, we recommend that before a serological tool is chosen for recrudescence monitoring in the Amazonia onchocerciasis focus, its specificity and sensitivity should be established and compared against all existing alternatives on samples obtained from within the focus
Summary
In a recent issue of Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, published in Rio de Janeiro in February 2014 (109: 87-92) [Adami et al (2014), first available on-line in advance of publication in October 2013] a survey reporting Mansonella parasite prevalence in the Amazon Region has been made. With the information provided by Adami et al (2014), the ELISA’s potential value cannot be properly measured against the ELISAs described in Lobos et al (1991) and Bradley et al (1993) or other important serological surveillance tools like the Lipner et al (2006) assay which has been used for recrudescence monitoring in other Latin American onchocerciasis foci.
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