Serological diagnosis of cystic echinococcosis in cattle

Abstract

An IgM murine monoclonal antibody (MAb) was obtained against the excretory-secretory antigen (ES-Ag) of in vitro reared protoscoleces of Echinococcus granulosus (Batsch, 1786). Western blotting revealed that the MAb recognised a 20.6 kDa protein of this ES-Ag. The MAb was used in sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (s-ELISA) for selective sensitisation of the solid phase with the protoscolex-specific protein from its ES-Ag and somatic antigen (S-Ag) to examine serum samples of 108 cows from a cystic echinococcosis (CE) endemic area for specific antibodies and to compare the results with those from necropsies and an indirect ELISA (i-ELISA). The sensitivity of s-ELISA/ES-Ag, s-ELISA/S-Ag and i-ELISA/S-Ag was 48%, 52% and 62%, respectively. The low sensitivity of the ELISA was probably caused by the fact that 13 cows (62%) were infected with sterile cysts (acephalocysts and/or calcified foci) only. A relatively high specificity (80%) of s-ELISA/ES-Ag was observed in cows with fertile cysts. It also detected antibodies in the serum of two cows that had recovered from the disease according to the necropsy. The i-ELISA/S-Ag gave false results in testing sera from a healthy animal and from a cow with tubercular foci. Further analysis will be necessary to define more precisely the value of this study, because the duration of antibody elimination from the bloodstream of recovered cattle remains unknown. The solution of this problem will increase the specificity of the proposed test in monitoring herbivorous animals for CE.

New insights of the local immune response against both fertile and infertile hydatid cysts

“…Fertile hydatid cyst PSC viability, that is, the percentage of live PSC, varies between 100% and 2,8% [13][14][15][16][17]. Contrarily, infertile hydatid cysts (also called sterile hydatid cysts [18][19][20][21][22][23]), have no PSC neither attached to the germinal layer nor floating free in the hydatid fluid, and thus are unable to continue with the parasite life cycle. The reason behind why infertile hydatid cysts are unable to produce PSC remains unclear [24].…”

Sensitive detection of specific cell-free DNA in serum samples from sheep with cystic echinococcosis

“…Sheep as a domestic herbivorous animals is the key intermediate host of E. granulosus in most endemic regions of the world. The disease causes much economic damage due to increased mortality, decreased productivity, loss of body weight, and high costs of sanitary, highlighting the need for a sensitive and accurate diagnosis technique [30].…”

Cystic Echinococcosis

“…(Craig et al 2015). Although it is possible to use serological examinations to detect the parasite in livestock (Golassa et al 2011;Bulashev et al 2017). Hydatid fluid (hydatid sand) aspirated from a cyst through its opening may show the presence of protoscolices, which are normally invaginated.…”