Immunocytochemical localization of antigens recognised by tropical pulmonary eosinophilia and individuals with intestinal helminths antisera in microfilaria of Wuchereria bancrofti.

ABSTRACT

Ultrathin sections of microfilaria of W. bancrofti embedded in the hydrophilic resin L.R. White were incubated with sera from patients with a typical picture of filarial tropical pulmonary eosinophilia (TPE) and sera from patients of a non-endemic region for filariasis regarding intestinal helminths. Both groups had a similar pattern of labelling, except that the labelling intensity was higher with the sera of patients with filarial TPE. The present study indicates relevant epitopes recognised by sera from TPE-patients and also individuals with intestinal helminths in all tissues of microfilaria of W. bancrofti, instead of being localised in a specific nematode region. These findings suggest that sera from people from an area not endemic for filaria, harbouring intestinal helminths, also share antifilarial antibodies that recognise antigens of microfilaria of W. bancrofti.