title: IgG4 responses to antigens of adult Necator americanus: potential for use in large-scale epidemiological studies.
abstract: Described is an epidemiological investigation of hookworm infections in a rural community in Zimbabwe, where Necator americanus is the only human helminth species present. Among a cohort of 120 individuals the overall prevalence of infection was 78%. Intensity of infection was quantified both as egg counts (range: 0-2563 eggs per g of stool) and worm burden (range: 0-100 worms). Although both these measures provide useful quantitative data, they are tedious to determine in large-scale epidemiological studies and may present social and logistic difficulties. As an alternative screening method, we therefore investigated isotype-specific responses to adult worm antigens of N. americanus. The results show that specific IgG4 responses correlate positively and significantly with both measures of intensity and may be a useful marker of hookworm infection.
authors.affiliation: Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Department of Immunology, Washington DC 20307-5100, USA.
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Palmer
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bradley
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Bundy
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000909:Antibodies, Helminth / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D017221:Necator americanus / Q000276:immunology*; D009332:Necatoriasis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology*; D015995:Prevalence; D015030:Zimbabwe / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000909:Antibodies, Helminth; D015415:Biomarkers; D007074:Immunoglobulin G