ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE@#To find importance of morphometric criterion of larval rostellar hook of Echinococcus granulosus (E. granulosus) and the easy and reliable method for distinguish sheep and camel strains in epidemiologic studies.@*METHODS@#Larval rostellar hooks (n=1860) of 31 camel and sheep isolates in Iran, which already had been characterized by PCR, were carefully processed by computerized imagime analysis system (CIAS) and acquired data about rostellar hooks were analyzed using software SPSS.@*RESULTS@#Measurement analysis of rostellar hooks [mean length (24.23±3.12) μ m] indicated that length of the large hook was a remarkable parameter for strain differentiation. Data analysis demonstrated that CIAS could be used as a reliable tool to distinguish camel from sheep strains with high sensitivity (95.2%) and specificity (91.5%).@*CONCLUSIONS@#CIAS as a specific, sensitive, economic, fast, and reliable means might be used for differentiation of E. granulosus strains. Although perimeter and area were measured by digital technology, they were not shown as discriminative criterion as total hook length did.
Subject(s)
Animals , Camelus , Parasitology , Echinococcosis , Diagnosis , Echinococcus granulosus , Image Processing, Computer-Assisted , Iran , Larva , Observer Variation , Sheep , Parasitology , Sheep Diseases , Diagnosis , Species SpecificityABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE@#To prepare and evaluate a glycerol-preserved antigen from an Iranian strain of Leishmania infantum (L. infantum) for use in glycerol-preserved direct agglutination tests (GP-DAT) as an alternative to freeze dried direct agglutination tests (FD-DAT) that use freeze-dried antigen.@*METHODS@#Glycerol-preserved DAT antigen was prepared and stored at different temperatures. We tested antigen stored at 4 °C, 22-37 °C and 50 °C over a period of 365 days. Seven hundred twenty-nine serum samples were collected from different geographical zones of Iran from 2007-2009, and 80 of these samples were pooled to produce sera. Each pooled serum contained 10 sera. All positive and negative pooled sera were separately tested for anti-L. infantum antibodies with GP-DAT, FD-DAT and formaldehyde-fixed direct agglutination test (FF-DAT) antigens; tests were performed on both human and dog sera over a period of 12 months.@*RESULTS@#There was strong agreement between the results obtained using GP-DAT and FD-DAT antigens stored at 22-37 °C for 12 months for both human (100%) and dog (100%) pooled sera. The direct agglutination test results were highly reproducible (weighted kappa: GP=0.833, FD=0.979 and FF=0.917).@*CONCLUSIONS@#Because GP-DAT antigen is highly stable over a range of temperatures and is easy to transport in the field, this type of antigen may be particularly useful in areas with endemic visceral leishmaniasis.
Subject(s)
Animals , Dogs , Humans , Agglutination Tests , Methods , Antibodies, Protozoan , Antigens, Protozoan , Cryoprotective Agents , Freeze Drying , Glycerol , Iran , Leishmania infantum , Allergy and Immunology , Leishmaniasis, Visceral , Diagnosis , Epidemiology , Reproducibility of Results , Specimen Handling , Methods , TemperatureABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE@#To immunize rabbits with 12 and 16 kDa recombinant subunits of antigen B from Echinococcus granulosus (E. granulosus) and measuring polyclonal antibody and humoral immune response using ELISA and gel diffusion.@*METHODS@#Two mentioned antigens were cloned and expressed in expression vector and purified by affinity chromatography. Four young rabbits were selected and challenged intradermally with yielded recombinant antigens. Rabbits' sera were collected post infection and were tested using ELISA and gel diffusion for polyclonal antibody detection 10 days after last injection.@*RESULTS@#The specific antibody against the recombinant peptides was efficiently produced within 4 weeks post infection.@*CONCLUSIONS@#Produced recombinants proteins could induce the immune response of the rabbits successfully. This process might improve the clarification of diagnosis and vaccination as regards hydatidosis.
