title: Antibodies against Echinococcus multilocularis alkaline phosphatase as markers for the specific diagnosis and the serological monitoring of alveolar echinococcosis.
abstract: The immunological properties of the purified alkaline phosphatase (pAP) of Echinococcus multilocularis metacestodes have been investigated using alveolar echinococcosis (AE) patient sera in ELISA tests. A comparative study was done with EmC-Ag (crude antigen) and pAP-Ag (purified antigen). When the parasite purified enzyme pAP was used as antigen, the specificity of the ELISA was markedly increased since it reached 100% without any decrease of its sensitivity (100%). The serologic follow-up of AE patients was conducted during several months with these two antigens in three categories of patients: cured, stabilized and aggravated. There was a good correlation between clinical and serologic data when the pAP was used as antigen in ELISA tests. The anti-pAP antibodies titres did change more rapidly than anti-EmC antibodies titres when a recurrence occurred. Modifications of the anti-pAP antibodies levels were also observed during the patient's therapy: mebendazole, albendazole and Isoprinosine. These results suggest that pAP-Ag should be used for the diagnosis and the follow-up of AE patients.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Parasitology and Medical Mycology, Claude-Bernard University, Faculty of Pharmacy, Lyon, France.
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Sarciron
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bresson-Hadni
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mercier
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lawton
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Duranton
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lenys
authors.forename: A F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Petavy
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Vuitton
mesh_terms: D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000276:immunology*; D000818:Animals; D000909:Antibodies, Helminth / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D000947:Antigens, Helminth / Q000276:immunology*; D015415:Biomarkers; D004444:Echinococcosis, Hepatic / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D004446:Echinococcus / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000276:immunology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male
chemical_list: D000909:Antibodies, Helminth; D000947:Antigens, Helminth; D015415:Biomarkers; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase