A Study on Serological Reactivity Profile of Different Antigen Preparations with Bancroftian filariasis Human Infection Sera

Abstract

Background: Lymphatic Filariasis (LF) is one of the incapacitating and mosquito-borne sicknesses that on progression may prompt a few recognizable types of clutters like extreme lymphedema, hydrocele, and elephantiasis.

Methods: Antigenic preparations of B. malayi adult (BmA), S. cervi adult parasites and microfilariae (mf) total parasite extract were used to analyze the serological reactivity profile with human infectious sera collected from endemic areas of Bancroftian filariasis by performing Western blot and ELISA analysis. Sera from healthy human subjects were also included in the study to determine the variation incurred in the reactivity due to the filariasis infection. Gelelectrophoresis analysis of the crude-extract of BmA revealed seven protein bands while more than ten bands were recognized in S. cervi.

Results: our results represent a clear variation in protein patterns among the crude-antigens. ELISA results showed highest prevalence of IgG, IgM and IgG4 antibodies against all antigen preparations when recorded among microfilaraemic chronic infected patients. In both the antigenic preparations, the positive reactions were in the order of microfilaraemic>endemic normal>chronic>acute>nonendemic normal subjects. All sera of Mf+ patients were uniformly positive, while sera of both chronic and endemic normal subjects showed less reactivity.

Conclusion: In the present study, we endeavoured to establish the extent of cross-reactivity of antigens derived from animal filarial parasites such as B. malayi and S. cervi with W. bancrofti filariasis sera of human patients. Besides, we further analyzed antibody-isotype profile of IgG, IgG4 and IgM in various human infection sera of bancroftian filarial subjects reactive to heterologous parasite antigens derived from adult worms of S. cervi from bovine and B. malayi from bovine and jirds.

Keywords: Lymphatic filariasis; elephantiasis; heterologous parasite antigens; hydrocele; lymphedema; serological reactivity.