Detection of heartworm antigen without cross-reactivity to helminths and protozoa following heat treatment of canine serum.

BACKGROUND: Detection of Dirofilaria immitis, or heartworm, through antigen in sera is the primary means of diagnosing infections in dogs. In recent years, the practice of heat-treating serum prior to antigen testing has demonstrated improved detection of heartworm infection. While the practice of heat-treating serum has resulted in earlier detection and improved sensitivity for heartworm infections, it has been suggested that heat treatment may cause cross reactivity with A. reconditum and intestinal helminth infections of dogs. No studies have assessed the potential cross-reactivity of these parasites with heartworm tests before and after heat treatment using blood products and an appropriate gold standard reference. METHODS: Canine sera (n=163) was used to evaluate a heartworm antigen-ELISA (DiroCHEK®) and potential cross-reactivity with common parasitic infections. The heartworm status and additional parasite infections were confirmed by necropsy and adult helminth species verified morphologically or by PCR, and feces evaluated by centrifugal fecal flotation. RESULTS: Intestinal parasites were confirmed in 140 of the dogs by necropsy, and 130 by fecal flotation. Acanthocheilonema reconditum microfilariae were confirmed in 22 dogs. Prevalence of heartworm infection confirmed by necropsy was 35.6% (58/163). In the 105 dogs without heartworms, specificity remained unchanged at 100% both before and after heat treatment despite confirmed infections with A. reconditum, Ancylostoma caninum, Ancylostoma brasiliense, Trichuris vulpis, Toxocara canis, Dipylidium caninum, Spirometra mansonoides, Macracanthorynchus ingens, Cystoisospora sp., Giardia sp., and Sarcocystis sp. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that the use of heat treatment improves sensitivity of heartworm tests and is unlikely to cause false positive antigen results due to Acanthocheilonema reconditum, intestinal helminths, and protozoal parasites in dogs.

Investigations on the occurrence of tapeworm infections in German horse populations with comparison of different antibody detection methods based on saliva and serum samples.

BACKGROUND: Effective and sustainable worm control in horses would benefit from detailed information about the current regional occurrence of tapeworms. Different diagnostic methods are currently available to detect Anoplocephala spp. infections in horses. However, the format as well as the sensitivity and specificity of the methods vary considerably. METHODS: A coprological, serological and questionnaire study was conducted to investigate the prevalence and risk factors of tapeworm infections on 48 horse farms in the region of Berlin and Brandenburg, Germany. In total, faecal samples of 484 horses were analysed using the double centrifugation/combined sedimentation-flotation and mini-FLOTAC. Serum (n = 481) and saliva (n = 365) samples were analysed by ELISAs to determine antibody levels against Anoplocephala spp. 12/13 kDa excretory/secretory (E/S) antigens. RESULTS: Cestode eggs were detected in 0.6% of faecal samples (farm prevalence 6.3%) without differences between the two methods. In contrast, antibodies against Anoplocephala spp. were detected in 16.2% (farm prevalence 52.1%) and in 29.5% (farm prevalence 75.7%) of the serum and saliva samples, respectively. Both ELISA based methods for detection of tapeworms reported a greater number of infected animals requiring treatment than were positively identified by coproscopy. Logistic regression analysis identified permanent pasture access, large pastures and regular pasture changes and high strongyle egg counts as risk factors for positive serum antibody responses to Anoplocephala spp. while last treatment with praziquantel was protective. Other protective factors were the presence of foals and high numbers of horses on the farm. Daily removal of faeces from the pasture and horse age did not have a significant effect. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of the present serological investigation indicate that tapeworm prevalence in Berlin/Brandenburg horse farms is much higher than would be anticipated by using conventional/coproscopic analyses. Moreover, the majority of tapeworm-positive horses had not received a cestocidal drug at their last treatment. Considering the already known low sensitivity of the coproscopic detection, the equine veterinary diagnostics can be enhanced by the use of antibody detection methods such as the saliva-based ELISA.

Serologic reactivity of canine sera to Sarcocystis neurona and Sarcocystis cruzi antigens.

Sarcocystis neurona, a coccidian parasite shed by opossums (Didelphis spp.) in the Americas, is the major cause of equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM) and induces disease in other domestic and wild animal species, including domestic dogs. Sarcocystis cruzi, despite its low pathogenicity for cattle (intermediate hosts), is worldwide distributed and uses mostly dogs as definitive hosts. The aims of this study were to test serological reactivities of dog sera to S. neurona and S. cruzi antigens, and to investigate potential serological cross-reactivity to these parasites. Sera from 353 Brazilian dogs were obtained from rural areas in the municipality of Ilhéus, Bahia, and examined by immunofluorescent antibody tests (IFAT). Antigens used in serological reactions consisted of S. neurona merozoites from a North American strain (SN138), and bradyzoites of S. cruzi obtained from Brazilian bovine hearts, with parasite species identity confirmed by PCR and sequencing of the 18S gene of the rDNA. Seropositivity to S. neurona and to S. cruzi were detected in 3.39% (12/353) and 4.81% (17/353) of the dogs, respectively. Ten canine sera reacted solely to S. neurona and 15 serum samples reacted only to S. cruzi. Two serum samples were simultaneously positive for both parasites. Sera from 14 dogs that tested positive by IFAT (9 for S. neurona and 3 for S. cruzi) and from two dogs that were negative by IFAT for the two parasites, were examined by Western blot using S. neurona as antigen; these sera reacted to a great number of protein bands, including antigens on the 16 and 30 KDa positions, which encompass immunodominant antigens for S. neurona in horses. Western blot did not show any specific pattern for S. neurona infection/exposure using canine sera. Dogs act as definitive hosts for several Sarcocystis spp. that infect farm animals, including horses, sheep, goats, water buffaloes and pigs, and for this reason, should contain antibodies to a broad repertoire of Sarcocystis spp. antigens. In conclusion, low percentages of dogs from rural areas of Ilhéus, Bahia, were reactive to both S. neurona and S. cruzi antigens. It is possible that other Sarcocystis species, besides S. neurona and S. cruzi, might have contributed for the seropositivity observed in this study. IFAT was more specific than Western blot to differentiate canine serological reactions to S. neurona and S. cruzi antigens.

Detection of circulating cell-free DNA to diagnose Schistosoma japonicum infection.

Schistosomiasis occurs in 240 million people worldwide and is a major public health concern. Thus, early diagnosis and monitoring of schistosomiasis progression are needed to treat patients. Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) is present as fragments of parasite-derived DNA in host body fluids. Detection of this cfDNA in host blood may be a promising diagnostic marker of schistosomiasis. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the potential of internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2), a molecular taxonomy and barcoding marker, in diagnosing schistosomiasis using infected rabbit and mice sera. A 192 bp fragment of ITS2 was detected in the serum-isolated DNA from the infected host on different days after infection. We also determined the sensitivity of detecting ITS2 in mice with varying numbers of cercaria: cfDNA was present even in mice with low abundance of the parasite. Overall, our results show that cfDNA may be a potential tool for the early diagnosis and therapeutic evaluation of S. japonicum infection.

Canine heartworm and heat treatment: An evaluation using a well based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and canine sera with confirmed heartworm infection status.

Heat treatment of serum has demonstrated improved detection of Dirofilaria immitis antigen in sera of sheltered dogs without knowing the true infection status of the animals and in dogs confirmed experimentally to be infected with heartworm. Utilizing archived sera with necropsy confirmed heartworm infection status (n = 665) and a micro-titer well based ELISA antigen assay, this study evaluated how the composition of heartworm infections affects antigen test results pre- and post-heat treatment, determined subsequent changes to the antigen test sensitivity and specificity, and application of optical density values. The composition of heartworm infections present in dogs with sera initially testing antigen negative consisted of infections by dead 1/34 (2.9 %), immature 10/34 (29.4 %), male only 7/34 (20.6 %), female only 5/34 (14.7 %), and mixed sex infections 11/34 (32.4 %) with 2-62 heartworms of which 6 were microfilaremic. The composition of heartworm infections remaining antigen negative post-heat treatment consisted of infections by dead 1/14 (7.1 %), immature 9/14 (64.3 %), male only 2/14 (14.3 %), and mixed sex infections 2/14 (14.3 %) with 6 and 62 heartworms of which 1 was microfilaremic. The overall sensitivity for all infections, mature heartworms, and mature females before heat treatment were 86.9 %, 90.7 %, and 93.3 % and after heat treatment sensitivity increased to 94.6 %, 98.4 %, and 99.2 % respectively. A decrease in specificity from 97.8%-96.1% was observed following heat treatment of heartworm negative sera. Optical density values for the varying infection intensities present in this study clearly indicate that result intensity is not reflective of the number of heartworms present. This study provides additional context for interpreting post-heat antigen results for dogs originating from animal shelters, demonstrates diagnostic utility of optical density, and highlights the need for improved heartworm diagnostics.

Analyzing weight evolution in mice infected by Trypanosoma cruzi

Concerning the specificities of a longitudinal study, the trajectories of a subject's mean responses not always present a linear behavior, which calls for tools that take into account the non-linearity of individual trajectories and that describe them towards associating possible random effects with each individual. Generalized additive mixed models (GAMMs) have come to solve this problem, since, in this class of models, it is possible to assign specific random effects to individuals, in addition to rewriting the linear term by summing unknown smooth functions, not parametrically specified, then using the P-splines smoothing technique. Thus, this article aims to introduce this methodology applied to a dataset referring to an experiment involving 57 Swiss mice infected by Trypanosoma cruzi, which had their weights monitored for 12 weeks. The analyses showed significant differences in the weight trajectory of the individuals by treatment group; besides, the assumptions required to validate the model were met. Therefore, it is possible to conclude that this methodology is satisfactory in modeling data of longitudinal sort, because, with this approach, in addition to the possibility of including fixed and random effects, these models allow adding complex correlation structures to residuals.

The relationship between the presence of antibodies and direct detection of Toxoplasma gondii in slaughtered calves and cattle in four European countries.

In cattle, antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii infection are frequently detected, but evidence for the presence of T. gondii tissue cysts in cattle is limited. To study the concordance between the presence of anti-T. gondii IgG and viable tissue cysts of T. gondii in cattle, serum, liver and diaphragm samples of 167 veal calves and 235 adult cattle were collected in Italy, the Netherlands, Romania and the United Kingdom. Serum samples were tested for anti-T. gondii IgG by the modified agglutination test and p30 immunoblot. Samples from liver were analyzed by mouse bioassay and PCR after trypsin digestion. In addition, all diaphragms of cattle that had tested T. gondii-positive (either in bioassay, by PCR on trypsin-digested liver or serologically by MAT) and a selection of diaphragms from cattle that had tested negative were analyzed by magnetic capture quantitative PCR (MC-PCR). Overall, 13 animals were considered positive by a direct detection method: seven out of 151 (4.6%) by MC-PCR and six out of 385 (1.6%) by bioassay, indicating the presence of viable parasites. As cattle that tested positive in the bioassay tested negative by MC-PCR and vice-versa, these results demonstrate a lack of concordance between the presence of viable parasites in liver and the detection of T. gondii DNA in diaphragm. In addition, the probability to detect T. gondii parasites or DNA in seropositive and seronegative cattle was comparable, demonstrating that serological testing by MAT or p30 immunoblot does not provide information about the presence of T. gondii parasites or DNA in cattle and therefore is not a reliable indicator of the risk for consumers.

Evaluation of Dirofilaria immitis antigen detection comparing heated and unheated serum in dogs with experimental heartworm infections.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate whether heated serum allows for earlier detection of Dirofilaria immitis antigen, dogs with experimental D. immitis infections underwent weekly blood sampling to compare antigen results using both heated and unheated serum. METHODS: One of two isolates (JYD-34 or Big Head™) were used to infect naïve laboratory beagle dogs. Serum was collected from dogs weekly and divided into two aliquots, heated and unheated. The samples designated as heated were placed in a heat block at 104 °C for 10 min then centrifuged with collection of the resulting supernatant. Two commercial ELISAs, DiroCHEK® (Synbiotics Corporation, Zoetis) and PetChek® (IDEXX Laboratories, Inc.), were used to conduct D. immitis antigen testing on all serum samples. RESULTS: There was no statistical difference in the mean number of days from infection to positive D. immitis antigen status between the two commercial testing kits (DiroCHEK® versus PetChek®) with either heated or unheated serum. When unheated serum was utilized, very strong agreement between the two assays was demonstrated using Lin's concordance correlation coefficient (R c  = 0.98). However, when heated serum was compared, Lin's concordance correlation coefficient was only R c  = 0.64, showing a lesser agreement. There was a statistical difference in the mean number of days from infection to a positive test result for unheated serum when compared to mean days to positive status with heated serum. For DiroCHEK® the heated serum yielded a positive result 126.9 ± 18.9 days postinfection while the unheated serum yielded a positive result 162.6 ± 23.0 days postinfection; this was a significant 35.7 ± 32.2 days longer, on average, compared with heated serum. With PetChek® the heated serum yielded a positive result 131.5 ± 11.7 days postinfection while the unheated serum yielded a positive result 162.8 ± 23.8 days postinfection; this was a significant 31.3 ± 25.5 days longer, on average, compared with heated serum. The detection of D. immitis antigen earlier using heated serum was consistent for both heartworm isolates. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest heat treatment of serum may allow earlier detection of D. immitis antigen but with less consistency demonstrated across two testing platforms as compared with antigen detection using unheated serum.

Droplet Digital PCR Diagnosis of Human Schistosomiasis: Parasite Cell-Free DNA Detection in Diverse Clinical Samples.

Background: Schistosomiasis japonica remains a major public health and socioeconomic concern in Southeast Asia. Sensitive and accurate diagnostics can play a pivotal role in achieving disease elimination goals. Methods: We previously reported a novel droplet digital polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR) assay targeting the mitochondrial gene nad1 to diagnose schistosomiasis japonica. The tool identified both prepatent and patent infections using Schistosoma japonicum DNA isolated from serum, urine, salivary glands, and feces in a murine model. The assay was validated here using clinical samples collected from 412 subjects resident in an area moderately endemic for schistosomiasis in the Philippines. Results: S. japonicum DNA present in human stool, serum, urine, and saliva was detected quantitatively with high sensitivity. The capability to diagnose cases of human schistosomiasis using noninvasively collected clinical samples, the higher level of sensitivity obtained compared with the microscopy-based Kato-Katz test, and the capacity to quantify infection intensity have important public health implications for schistosomiasis control and programs targeting other neglected tropical diseases. Conclusions: This verified ddPCR method represents a valuable new tool for the diagnosis and surveillance of schistosomiasis, particularly in low-prevalence and low-intensity areas approaching elimination and in monitoring where disease emergence or re-emergence is a concern.

Recovery of bovine Babesia spp. after long-term cryostorage and comparison of bovine donor erythrocytes and serum.

Cultured Babesia bovis and Babesia bigemina were recovered from liquid nitrogen storage nearly 30 years after they were cryopreserved. Four cattle were compared as donors of erythrocytes and serum for microaerophilous stationary phase (MASP) cultures for recovery of B. bigemina. Erythrocytes and serum from only one (#913) of the four animals supported growth of B. bigemina. Two B. bigemina (frozen in 1986 and 1987) and two B. bovis (both frozen in 1986) cryostocks were recovered from liquid nitrogen storage and all four recovered and thrived in #913 erythrocytes and serum. In the third passage after recovery, B. bovis cultures were cryopreserved. Six months later they were successfully recovered using #913 erythrocytes and serum. This study shows that B. bovis and B. bigemina stored nearly 30 years in liquid nitrogen can be successfully recovered in the MASP system. This study also confirms previous observations that selection of a suitable bovine donor of erythrocytes and serum is critical to the success of the culture.

Isolation and biological and molecular characterization of Neospora caninum (NC-SP1) from a naturally infected adult asymptomatic cattle (Bos taurus) in the state of São Paulo, Brazil.

The biological and genetic diversity of Neospora caninum is very limited because of availability of only a few viable isolates worldwide. This study describes the isolation and biological and molecular characterization of a new viable isolate of N. caninum (NC-SP1), from a cattle in Brazil. Approximately 400 g of brain from a naturally infected adult male cattle from an abattoir was fed to a 2-month-old dog. Neospora-like oocysts were observed on day 7 post-inoculation (PI) and the duration of oocyst shedding was 14 days. The DNA obtained from oocysts was characterized molecularly and the final sequence was 99% identical to homologous sequences of N. caninum available in GenBank®. For bioassay, gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus) were orally inoculated with 10 100 and 1000 oocysts; all gerbils remained clinically normal but developed N. caninum antibodies 14 days PI. Cell culture isolation was successful using the brain homogenate from one of the gerbils and tachyzoites were observed 24 days PI. Microsatellite genotyping revealed a unique genetic profile for this new reference isolate.

How schistosomes alter the human serum proteome.

Schistosomes are intravascular parasitic worms that cause the debilitating disease schistosomiasis. To better understand how these long-lived parasites may subvert host immune and hemostatic capabilities, we examine here the impact of adult Schistosoma mansoni worms on the human serum proteome. Normal human serum (150µl) was incubated at 37°C for one hour either in the presence or absence of adult worms (∼50 pairs). Thereafter parasites were removed, serum samples were labeled and their proteins resolved for comparative analysis by 2D-Differential in-Gel Electrophoresis (2D-DIGE). Several differences were noted between the two samples. Twenty protein spots were recovered and identified following trypsin digestion and mass spectroscopy. Strikingly, most of these (11/20) are associated with the complement system and include complement components C3, C4, factor B, complement factor H related protein 1 and clusterin. Western blot analysis confirms the impact of the worms on C3, C4 and factor B in serum. The data suggest that schistosomes engage complement but can rapidly degrade selected complement proteins which may help explain the worm's refractoriness towards complement-mediated attack. Other serum proteins identified as being impinged upon by schistosomes are alpha 2 macroglobulin, alpha 1 anti-chymotrypsin, actin cytoplasmic 2, serum amyloid A-4, protein DDX26B, hemoglobin subunit B and serum albumin. While the molecular nature of the interaction between these proteins and schistosomes is not known, possible roles for some of them in hemostasis, immune evasion and in the host response to serum stress are suggested.

Resistance to normal human serum reveals Trypanosoma lewisi as an underestimated human pathogen.

Human-infectious trypanosomes such as Trypanosoma cruzi, T. brucei rhodesiense, and T. b. gambiense can be discriminated from those only infecting animals by their resistance to normal human serum (NHS). These parasites are naturally resistant to trypanolysis induced by the human-specific pore-forming serum protein apolipoprotein L1 (ApoL-1). T. lewisi, a worldwide distributed parasite, has been considered as rat-specific and non-pathogenic to the natural hosts. Here we provide evidence that 19 tested T. lewisi isolates from Thailand and China share resistance to NHS. Further investigation on one selected isolate CPO02 showed that it could resist at least 90% NHS or 30 µg/ml recombinant human ApoL-1 (rhApoL-1) in vitro, in contrast to T. b. brucei which could not survive in 0.0001% NHS and 0.1 µg/ml rhApoL-1. In vivo tests in rats also demonstrated that this parasite is fully resistant to lysis by NHS. Together with recent reports of atypical human infection by T. lewisi, these data allow the conclusion that T. lewisi is potentially an underestimated and thus a neglected human pathogen.

The innate resistance of Trypanosoma copemani to human serum.

Trypanosoma copemani is known to be infective to a variety of Australian marsupials. Characterisation of this parasite revealed the presence of stercorarian-like life-cycle stages in culture, which are similar to T. rangeli and T. cruzi. The blood incubation infectivity test (BIIT) was adapted and used to determine if T. copemani, like T. cruzi and T. rangeli, has the potential to grow in the presence of human serum. To eliminate any effects of anticoagulants on the complement system and on human high density lipoprotein (HDL), only fresh whole human blood was used. Trypanosoma copemani was observed by microscopy in all human blood cultures from day 5 to day 19 post inoculation (PI). The mechanism for normal human serum (NHS) resistance in T. copemani is not known. The results of this study show that at least one native Australian trypanosome species may have the potential to be infective for humans.

First report of Babesia bigemina infection in white yaks in China.

White yaks, a unique yak breed and the pearl of the plateau, only live in Tianzhu Tibetan Autonomous County (TTAC), Gansu Province, northwest China, contributing significantly to local economy. However, there was no information on the prevalence of Babesia bigemina in white yaks. In this study, a total of 974 serum samples collected from white yaks in TTAC were examined for specific antibodies against B. bigemina using a commercially available ELISA kit. The overall seroprevalence of B. bigemina in white yaks was 17.76% (173/974). A multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the risk factors associated with B. bigemina seroprevalence, and the results indicated that age, gender and the numbers of pregnancies of white yaks were not the significant risk factors. However, the white yaks in spring (OR=3.523, 95% CI=1.899-6.538, P<0.001) and summer (OR=3.439, 95% CI=1.909-6.193, P<0.001) encountered higher risk of being exposed to B. bigemina than that in winter. Thus, season was considered as a risk factor associated with B. bigemina infection. This is the first survey of B. bigemina seroprevalence in white yaks in China, which extends the host range for B. bigemina and provides useful information for controlling B. bigemina infection in white yaks.

A co-evolutionary arms race: trypanosomes shaping the human genome, humans shaping the trypanosome genome.

Trypanosoma brucei is the causative agent of African sleeping sickness in humans and one of several pathogens that cause the related veterinary disease Nagana. A complex co-evolution has occurred between these parasites and primates that led to the emergence of trypanosome-specific defences and counter-measures. The first line of defence in humans and several other catarrhine primates is the trypanolytic protein apolipoprotein-L1 (APOL1) found within two serum protein complexes, trypanosome lytic factor 1 and 2 (TLF-1 and TLF-2). Two sub-species of T. brucei have evolved specific mechanisms to overcome this innate resistance, Trypanosoma brucei gambiense and Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense. In T. b. rhodesiense, the presence of the serum resistance associated (SRA) gene, a truncated variable surface glycoprotein (VSG), is sufficient to confer resistance to lysis. The resistance mechanism of T. b. gambiense is more complex, involving multiple components: reduction in binding affinity of a receptor for TLF, increased cysteine protease activity and the presence of the truncated VSG, T. b. gambiense-specific glycoprotein (TgsGP). In a striking example of co-evolution, evidence is emerging that primates are responding to challenge by T. b. gambiense and T. b. rhodesiense, with several populations of humans and primates displaying resistance to infection by these two sub-species.

Detection of Toxoplasma gondii in the milk of naturally infected goats in the Northeast of Brazil.

The aim of the present study was to detect the genomic DNA of Toxoplasma gondii in milk samples from naturally infected goats in the state of Pernambuco, (Brazil). In total, 248 blood serum samples were collected and processed from lactating goats and then submitted to a search for antibodies to T. gondii through the indirect immunofluorescence reaction. Samples with a score of 64 or more were considered positive. In total, 248 milk samples were collected and processed from the same group of goats in order to study the DNA of T. gondii using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique. In the serum samples, 56/248 (22.58%) of the animals were positive, whereas the DNA of the parasite was detected in 15/248 (6.05%) of the milk samples. Five of these 15 samples were animals who were also positive in the serology. This study reports the first occurrence of the elimination of T. gondii from the milk of naturally infected goats in the north-east of Brazil. It is suggested that the consumption of in natura goat milk may constitute a potential risk to the health of milk consumers in this region.

Trypanosoma brucei gambiense adaptation to different mammalian sera is associated with VSG expression site plasticity.

Trypanosoma brucei gambiense infection is widely considered an anthroponosis, although it has also been found in wild and domestic animals. Thus, fauna could act as reservoir, constraining the elimination of the parasite in hypo-endemic foci. To better understand the possible maintenance of T. b. gambiense in local fauna and investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying adaptation, we generated adapted cells lines (ACLs) by in vitro culture of the parasites in different mammalian sera. Using specific antibodies against the Variant Surface Glycoproteins (VSGs) we found that serum ACLs exhibited different VSG variants when maintained in pig, goat or human sera. Although newly detected VSGs were independent of the sera used, the consistent appearance of different VSGs suggested remodelling of the co-transcribed genes at the telomeric Expression Site (VSG-ES). Thus, Expression Site Associated Genes (ESAGs) sequences were analysed to investigate possible polymorphism selection. ESAGs 6 and 7 genotypes, encoding the transferrin receptor (TfR), expressed in different ACLs were characterised. In addition, we quantified the ESAG6/7 mRNA levels and analysed transferrin (Tf) uptake. Interestingly, the best growth occurred in pig and human serum ACLs, which consistently exhibited a predominant ESAG7 genotype and higher Tf uptake than those obtained in calf and goat sera. We also detected an apparent selection of specific ESAG3 genotypes in the pig and human serum ACLs, suggesting that other ESAGs could be involved in the host adaptation processes. Altogether, these results suggest a model whereby VSG-ES remodelling allows the parasite to express a specific set of ESAGs to provide selective advantages in different hosts. Finally, pig serum ACLs display phenotypic adaptation parameters closely related to human serum ACLs but distinct to parasites grown in calf and goat sera. These results suggest a better suitability of swine to maintain T. b. gambiense infection supporting previous epidemiological results.

A Schistosoma haematobium-specific real-time PCR for diagnosis of urogenital schistosomiasis in serum samples of international travelers and migrants.

BACKGROUND: Diagnosis of urogenital schistosomiasis by microscopy and serological tests may be elusive in travelers due to low egg load and the absence of seroconversion upon arrival. There is need for a more sensitive diagnostic test. Therefore, we developed a real-time PCR targeting the Schistosoma haematobium-specific Dra1 sequence. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: The PCR was evaluated on urine (n = 111), stool (n = 84) and serum samples (n = 135), and one biopsy from travelers and migrants with confirmed or suspected schistosomiasis. PCR revealed a positive result in 7/7 urine samples, 11/11 stool samples and 1/1 biopsy containing S. haematobium eggs as demonstrated by microscopy and in 22/23 serum samples from patients with a parasitological confirmed S. haematobium infection. S. haematobium DNA was additionally detected by PCR in 7 urine, 3 stool and 5 serum samples of patients suspected of having schistosomiasis without egg excretion in urine and feces. None of these suspected patients demonstrated other parasitic infections except one with Blastocystis hominis and Entamoeba cyst in a fecal sample. The PCR was negative in all stool samples containing S. mansoni eggs (n = 21) and in all serum samples of patients with a microscopically confirmed S. mansoni (n = 22), Ascaris lumbricoides (n = 1), Ancylostomidae (n = 1), Strongyloides stercoralis (n = 1) or Trichuris trichuria infection (n = 1). The PCR demonstrated a high specificity, reproducibility and analytical sensitivity (0.5 eggs per gram of feces). CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE: The real-time PCR targeting the Dra1 sequence for S. haematobium-specific detection in urine, feces, and particularly serum, is a promising tool to confirm the diagnosis, also during the acute phase of urogenital schistosomiasis.

Immunodetection of Fasciola gigantica circulating antigen in sera of infected individuals for laboratory diagnosis of human fascioliasis.

Currently, the laboratory diagnosis of human fascioliasis is based on the parasitological examination of parasite eggs in stool specimens and serological detection of specific antibodies in serum samples, which are often unreliable diagnostic approaches. Ideally, a sensitive and specific diagnostic test for Fasciola infection should be based on the detection of circulating Fasciola antigen, which implies active infection. Here, a 27-kDa-molecular-mass antigen was identified in a Fasciola gigantica adult worm antigen preparation, excretory-secretory products, and sera from F. gigantica-infected individuals, and it was not detected in antigenic extracts of other parasites and sera from noninfected individuals. The target antigen was isolated and partially characterized as a protein. Immunoperoxidase staining located the target epitope within teguments and guts of F. gigantica adult worms. The performance characteristics of a newly developed enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) based on F. gigantica circulating antigen detection in serum (FgCA-27 ELISA) were investigated using sera of 120 parasitologically diagnosed F. gigantica-infected individuals and 80 noninfected individuals. The area under the receiving operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) for ELISA was significantly high (AUC = 0.961, P < 0.0001) for discriminating Fasciola-infected and noninfected individuals. The developed assay showed high degrees of sensitivity, specificity, and efficiency (>93%), and a significant correlation (r = 0.715, P < 0.0001) between antigen level and parasite egg count was shown. In conclusion, a 27-kDa Fasciola antigen was identified in sera of F. gigantica-infected individuals. A highly sensitive and specific Fasciola antigen detection assay, FgCA-27 ELISA, was developed for laboratory diagnosis of human fascioliasis.