title: Comparative efficacy of antigen and antibody detection tests for human trichinellosis.
abstract: Sera collected from patients with suspected or confirmed exposure to Trichinella spiralis were tested for circulating parasite antigens and antiparasite antibodies. Using an immunoradiometric assay, excretory--secretory antigens from muscle-stage larvae of T. spiralis were detected in the sera of 47% of 62 patients with clinical trichinellosis and 13% of 39 patients without clinical signs but suspected of exposure to infected meat. In comparison, antibodies were detected using an indirect immunofluorescent test in the circulation of 100% of the 62 patients with clinical trichinellosis and 46% of the 39 patients with suspected exposure. The presence of antibodies specific to excretory-secretory products of T. spiralis muscle larvae was confirmed in the majority of the samples tested by a monoclonal antibody-based competitive inhibition assay. These results indicate that antibody detection is a more sensitive diagnostic method for human trichinellosis, but that antigen detection might be a useful confirmatory test because it is a direct demonstration of parasite products in the circulation.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Endocrinology, Immunology and Nutrition, INEP, Zemun, Yugoslavia.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ivanoska
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Cuperlović
authors.forename: H R
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Gamble
authors.forename: K D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Murrell
mesh_terms: D000909:Antibodies, Helminth / Q000032:analysis*; D000947:Antigens, Helminth / Q000032:analysis*; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D012698:Serologic Tests / Q000379:methods; D014235:Trichinellosis / Q000175:diagnosis*
chemical_list: D000909:Antibodies, Helminth; D000947:Antigens, Helminth; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes