ABSTRACT
Objective: To develop a new sandwich based lateral flow immunochromatographic strip for rapid detection of circulating Schistosoma mansoni antigen in serum and urine samples of patients with active schistosomiasis. Methods: This lateral flow immunochromatographic strip was prepared by using anti-Schistosoma mansoni soluble egg antigen monoclonal antibody conjugated gold nanoparticles (MAb-AuNPs) as antigen-detecting antibody, while crystalline material (MCM)-41-MAb bioconjugate was immobilized at the test line as antigen-capturing antibody. Both antigen capturing and detecting antibodies formed sandwich complexes with circulating Schistosoma mansoni antigen in the positive samples. Sandwich complexes immobilized at the test line gave distinct red color. The assay reliability was examined by using urine and serum samples of 60 Schistosoma mansoni infected patients, 20 patients infected with parasites other than Schistosoma, and 20 healthy individuals as negative controls. Results were compared with those obtained via sandwich enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results: The detection limit of circulating Schistosoma mansoni antigen by lateral flow immunochromatographic strip was lower (3 ng/mL) than the detection limit by ELISA (30 ng/mL). The sensitivity and specificity of lateral flow immunochromatographic strip in urine samples were 98.3% and 97.5%, respectively compared to 93.5% and 90.0% by ELISA. In serum samples, they were 100.0% and 97.5%, respectively compared to 97.0% and 95.0% by ELISA. The strip test took approximately 10 min to complete. Conclusions: This new lateral flow immunochromatographic strip offers a sensitive, rapid, and field applicable technique for diagnosis of active schistosomiasis.
ABSTRACT
Many diseases can cause lesions in right iliac fossa with indefinite clinical presentations. Improper diagnosis, missed lesions and unexpected morbidity may follow variable clinical puzzles. The aim of this study was to assess the clinically indefinite right iliac fossa lesions and to evaluate the role of multislice CT to improve their diagnostic accuracy and surgical management. Fifty two patients with indefinite clinical presentations related to right iliac fossa lesions were assessed before and after multiplanner reformatted images of multislice CT. The impact on diagnostic accuracy and surgical management was evaluated. Variable lesions were detected in these patients. CT showed different radiological diagnostic signs. The diagnosis of clinically indefinite lesions was improved by MDCT with sensitivity 95.8%, specificity 83.3% and accuracy 94.4%. This study showed the great variability of lesions in the right iliac fossa and of therapeutic surgical procedures. Not every pain is due to appendicitis; and hasty diagnosis must be avoided. Multislice CT and multiplanner reformatted images were markedly valuable in providing diagnostic signs, guiding to select further valuable investigations, staging of tumors, assessment of operability, planning the proper surgical management and avoiding unnecessary surgical intervention for lesions that can be treated by non-surgical measures