Excretory-secretory antigenic components of adult Fasciola gigantica recognized by infected human sera.

The immunogenic components of Fasciola gigantica excretory-secretory (ES) products were revealed by sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and immunoblotting technic using sera from patients with F. gigantica infection, from patients with clinical suspected fascioliasis, from patients with other illness and from healthy adults. By SDS-PAGE, it was found that the ES products comprised more than 6 polypeptides. Immunoblotting analysis revealed 12 components which were strongly recognized by fascioliasis antisera. These antigenic components had a molecular mass ranging from less than 14.4 to 38 kDa. One antigenic band of 27 kDa was found to give a consistent reaction with fascioliasis antisera (100% sensitivity and 98% specificity). The present findings suggest that the 27 kDa components are sensitive and specific for the diagnosis of human F. gigantica infection.

Antigenic components of somatic extract from adult Fasciola gigantica recognized by infected human sera.

The antigenic components of Fasciola gigantica somatic extract were revealed by sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and immunoblotting technique using sera from patients with F. gigantica infection, patients with clinically diagnosed fascioliasis, patients with other infections/illness and healthy adults. By SDS-PAGE, it was found that the somatic product comprised more than 22 polypeptides. Immunoblotting analysis revealed at least 13 components which were strongly recognized by sera of patients with fascioliasis. These antigenic components had molecular weights ranging from less than 14.4 to more than 94 kDa. One antigenic component, i.e. 38 kDa was found to give a consistent reaction with sera of patients with fascioliasis (100% sensitivity and 96.7% specificity). The finding suggests that the 38 kDa components may be a potential diagnostic antigen for fascioliasis.