title: Anti-Onchocerca volvulus immunoglobulin subclass response in children from Sierra Leone.
abstract: The humoral immune responses of a paediatric population of 224 children, 2-15 years of age, residing in an onchocerciasis endemic area of Sierra Leone, were studied to gain information that may be useful in the serodiagnosis of prepatent and low-level infections with Onchocerca volvulus. The antigen-specific levels of IgG and IgG4 were determined and evaluated in the context of the parasitological status of the child. Over 87% of the microfilaria-negative children had significant levels of antigen-specific antibodies against O. volvulus, suggesting that a large percentage of this paediatric population were harbouring prepatent or low-level infections. Over 60% of the children in the group that had detectable numbers of microfilariae in skin snips had elevated levels of O. volvulus-specific IgG4. In contrast, only 23% of the microfilaria-negative children had detectable IgG4 responses. The results presented here indicate that measures of O. volvulus-specific IgG4 may be a useful indicator of the parasitological status of children during the very early stages of onchocerciasis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Njala University College, University of Sierra Leone.
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Gbakima
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Ibrahim
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Scott
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000818:Animals; D000909:Antibodies, Helminth / Q000032:analysis*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000145:classification*; D009854:Onchocerca / Q000276:immunology*; D009855:Onchocerciasis / Q000276:immunology; D012807:Sierra Leone
chemical_list: D000909:Antibodies, Helminth; D007074:Immunoglobulin G