Specific IgG antibody responses in experimental cat metagonimiasis

ABSTRACT

In order to observe the feasibility of serologic diagnosis of metagonimiasis, saline extracts of metacercariae and 4-week old adults were prepared. Sera from 25 experimentally infected cats were collected from 3 days to 12 weeks after infection. Their levels of specific IgG antibody were measured by ELISA together with 3 sera from non-infected cats. Specific IgG antibody levels began to rise in 7 days after infection, reached their peak in 2-4 weeks and made a plateau thereafter. Cats infected with hundreds of adult worms showed minimal rise of the antibody level. Adult antigen was superior to metacercarial antigen in detecting the specific IgG antibody.