Evaluation of specific Fasciola antigen in the immunodiagnosis of human fascioliasis in Egypt.

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and enzyme linked immunoelectrotransfer blot technique (EITB) were employed for the detection of circulating Fasciola antibodies in infected human sera using a specific Fasciola antigen, prepared by immunoaffinity purification of homogenates of Fasciola hepatica adult worms. Ninety two individuals diagnosed clinically and parasitologically were classified into: Fascioliasis group (21 patients), schistosomiasis group (21 patients) and subjects harbouring other parasitic infections (50 patients). Eighteen healthy individuals served as normal controls. ELISA was 100% sensitive and 93% specific with 96.5% diagnostic efficacy, whereas EITB was 100% sensitive and specific with 100% diagnostic efficacy. Our data revealed that ELISA can be used as a good screening test while EITB can serve as a confirmatory test for immunodiagnosis of fascioliasis.

Purification and characterization of a specific Fasciola antigen.

Specific Fasciola antigen was prepared from homogenates of Fasciola hepatica adult worms. The homogenate was ultracentrifuged and the supernatant containing crude Fasciola antigen was then passed over a cyanogen bromide activated sepharose 4B column coupled with antiserum against Schistosoma mansoni adult worm surface antigen. The specific, Schistosoma-free Fasciola antigen was tested for its specificity by immunodiffusion. Characterization of the specific Fasciola antigen was done by gradient poly-acrylamide gel electrophoresis and immunoblotting technique. The electrophoresis migration pattern of specific Fasciola antigen, stained with Coomassie blue, showed 7 bands in the 12-54 kDa regions. Using the immunoblotting technique, a batch of positive fascioliasis sera recognized two specific bands at the 33 and 54 kDa regions.

Some biological effects of Bayluscide on Physa acuta and Helisoma duryi.

The fecundity, viability and the size of egg-masses were studied in Physa acuta and Helisoma duryi snails treated with 1 ppm Bayluscide for two hours. Bayluscide application caused significant and highly significant reduction in the fecundity of both Physa acuta and Helisoma duryi. However, an increase in the fecundity was observed for both treated snails in few days after exposure. Moreover, Bayluscide did not lead to stoppage of egg laying at any day of experiment. Bayluscide caused a reduction in the viability of egg-masses produced by treated Physa acuta or Helisoma duryi snails since they produced higher numbers of abnormal eggs containing dead embryo. Moreover, application of 1 ppm Bayluscide for two hours against Physa acuta caused a decrease in the size of egg-masses produced by treated snails. This is expressed by the production of higher percentage of egg-masses containing small numbers of eggs as compared with those masses produced by control snails.

Haematological changes observed in Swiss albino mice infected with normal and gamma-irradiated E. granulosus larvae.

Five groups of Swiss albino mice (Mus Musculus albinus) were intraperitoneally inoculated with 2,000 aseptic normal (control group) and gamma irradiated E. granulosus, larvae at different dose levels of 40 Kr, 60 Kr, 80 Kr and 100 Kr, respectively. Haematological studies showed a marked leucocytosis, a progressive increase in the average percentage of eosinophils as well as a great successive decrease in haemoglobin concentration through out the time of infection in control group as compared to the treated ones. Meanwhile the leucocytic count and the Haemoglobin concentration in treated mice was dose dependent as well as time dependent whereas the eosinophil percentage was only dose dependent rather than time dependent.