ABSTRACT
The aim of this study was to develop a low-cost antifilarial immunoglobulin (Ig) G4 detection kit for the diagnosis of lymphatic filariasis. The kit was designed to be used by minimally trained personnel without the constraints of expensive laboratory equipment. We provide a description of the development and validation of a single-serum-dilution based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit with ready-to-use reagents for measuring antifilarial IgG4 antibodies. The kit was tested on residents in Brugia malayi-endemic areas in southern Thailand. Detection was performed by naked-eye observation of the resultant colour of the immunological reactivity. The coefficient of variation (CV) was used to assess the reproducibility of the results. Long-term stability was measured over a 6-month period. Sensitivity of the test kit was 97% when compared with microfilariae detection in thick blood smears. Specificity was 98.7% based on the sera of 57 patients living outside the endemic areas who were infected with other parasites and 100 parasite-free subjects. All positive CVs were < 10%. The test kit was remarkably stable over 6 months. Field validation was performed by the detection of antifilarial IgG4 in 4365 serum samples collected from residents of brugian filariasis-endemic areas and compared with outcome colours of the test samples by the naked eye. Subsequent ELISA evaluation of these results using an ELISA reader indicated high agreement by the kappa statistic. These results demonstrate that the test kit is efficient and useful for public health laboratories as an alternative tool for the diagnosis of lymphatic filarial infection.
Subject(s)
Elephantiasis, Filarial/diagnosis , Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay/methods , Animals , Antibodies, Helminth/blood , Brugia malayi/immunology , Brugia malayi/isolation & purification , Child , Child, Preschool , Elephantiasis, Filarial/blood , Elephantiasis, Filarial/parasitology , Female , Humans , Immunoglobulin G/blood , Male , Sensitivity and SpecificityABSTRACT
A 2-year-old boy living outside the endemic area of lymphatic filariasis in Surat Thani Province, Thailand, developed a high fever. To investigate the cause of his presenting symptoms, blood was collected and microfilariae were detected and identified as Brugia malayi using thick blood smear staining. The sources of the infection were investigated. Microfilariae from two domestic cats residing in the boy's village were detected and identified as B. pahangi using a high-resolution melting real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis. The possible sources of this cryptic infection are discussed.
Subject(s)
Blood/parasitology , Brugia malayi/isolation & purification , Filariasis/diagnosis , Filariasis/parasitology , Animals , Brugia pahangi/isolation & purification , Cat Diseases/parasitology , Cats , Child, Preschool , Humans , Male , ThailandABSTRACT
Some immigrants from Myanmar to Thailand have brought Wuchereria bancrofti infections with them, causing a community health problem for Thai citizens. The seroprevalence of bancroftian filariasis was detected in 438 and 512 Myanmar immigrants residing in Bangkok and Ranong Provinces, respectively, along with 81 Thai citizens living in Bangkok. The immunochromatograpy card test was positive in 5 Myanmar immigrants living in Bangkok and 1 living in Ranong for a prevalence of 0.63%. Antifilarial IgG4 antibodies were found in 21 Myanmar immigrants living in Bangkok and 14 living in Ranong for a prevalence of 3.68%. None of the samples from Thai citizens were positive with either test. These prevalence rates are lower than those observed between 2001 and 2005. The Thai mass drug administration program to eliminate lymphatic filariasis among Myanmar immigrants appears to be a successful public health strategy.
Subject(s)
Elephantiasis, Filarial/prevention & control , Emigrants and Immigrants/statistics & numerical data , Mass Vaccination/standards , Wuchereria bancrofti/isolation & purification , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Animals , Antigens, Helminth/blood , Antigens, Helminth/drug effects , Antigens, Helminth/immunology , Child , Child, Preschool , Elephantiasis, Filarial/ethnology , Elephantiasis, Filarial/immunology , Female , Humans , Infant , Male , Mass Vaccination/statistics & numerical data , Middle Aged , Myanmar/ethnology , Program Evaluation , Seroepidemiologic Studies , Thailand/epidemiology , Wuchereria bancrofti/drug effects , Wuchereria bancrofti/immunology , Young AdultABSTRACT
Directors of graduate and undergraduate programs in neuroscience were asked to describe the optimal preparatory background of undergraduates entering graduate programs in neuroscience. Both undergraduate and graduate directors ranked research experience as the most important credential. Graduate directors considered grades/grade point averages and graduate record examination scores as the second and third most important variables. Undergraduate directors ranked courses and grades/grade point averages as their second and third choices. The most essential course for both types of directors was introduction to biology. The next most essential courses for the undergraduate directors were organic/inorganic chemistry and introduction to neuroscience (tied percentages), whereas the graduate directors chose calculus. This latter choice was interpreted as a symbolic representation of the need for quantification in science, generally. Both types of directors chose a course in biochemistry as the most important or desirable course but not necessarily an essential course. These findings have important implications for the training of future undergraduate neuroscience majors.
