A first attempt at determining the antibody-specific pattern of Platynosomum fastosum crude antigen and identification of immunoreactive proteins for immunodiagnosis of feline platynosomiasis

Abstract

Background and Aim: Feline platynosomiasis, also known as lizard poisoning, is a feline hepatic disease caused by the parasitic trematode Platynosomum fastosum. Since this helminth resides in biliary ducts and gallbladder, the heavy infection can lead to failure of the hepatobiliary system and can be associated with cholangiocarcinoma. The primary diagnostic tool currently used is conventional fecal microscopy. However, low sensitivity of detection could occur in the case of light infection or biliary obstruction. This study aimed to determine the antibody-specific pattern of P. fastosum crude antigen and to identify immunoreactive proteins to develop the immunodiagnostic techniques. Materials and Methods: We investigated potential antigens specific to P. fastosum infection using western blotting. Forty-six samples of cat serum, including 16 P. fastosum-infected sera, eight healthy control sera, and 22 sera infected with other endoparasites were used. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of each band were calculated. Immunoreactive bands with high diagnostic values were further analyzed using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) to identify the protein components. Results: Using immunoblotting, three proteins of 72 kDa, 53 kDa, and 13 kDa were found to be immunogenic. LC-MS/MS identified these proteins as a 70 kDa heat shock protein, a hypothetical protein (CRM22_002083) (adenosine triphosphate synthase subunit beta), and histone H2B, respectively. Conclusion: This study is the first to reveal three proteins that could be candidates for developing diagnostic tools for feline platynosomiasis.

Icterícia pós-hepática associada à platinossomíase em um gato

“…O sucesso do tratamento da platinossomíase varia conforme a extensão dos danos causados pelo parasito no tecido hepático, vesícula biliar e ductos biliares, sugerindo que o diagnóstico precoce resulta no menor acometimento hepatobiliar, com maiores chances de resolução do quadro clínico e sobrevivência (Hendrix, 1995). Exames complementares como a ultrassonografia (Köster et al, 2016), histopatologia (Carvalho et al, 2017 e o exame coproparasitológico (Campos et al, 2018) podem ser utilizados para a exclusão de doenças com sinais clínicos similares, apesar de que tentativas de identificação sorológica estão ainda em discussão (Soe et al, 2022).…”

Feline Cyst-like Lymphocytic Cholangiohepatitis in a Cat: First Case Report

“…Detection of liver fluke eggs from fecal examination may be missed because of the intermittent egg shedding and low number of eggs in feces [ 25 ]. Cytology of bile aspirate could increase the sensitivity of parasitic egg detection [ 26 ]. The prevalence of liver fluke was reported as 2.7–8.9% in cats residing in Thailand [ 26 , 27 , 28 ].…”

“…Cytology of bile aspirate could increase the sensitivity of parasitic egg detection [ 26 ]. The prevalence of liver fluke was reported as 2.7–8.9% in cats residing in Thailand [ 26 , 27 , 28 ]. Therefore, praziquantel should be prescribed to all cats with hepatobiliary diseases in Thailand.…”