title: Circulating filarial antigen in the hydrocele fluid from individuals living in a bancroftian filariasis area - Recife, Brazil: detected by the monoclonal antibody Og4C3-assay.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to examine the circulating filarial antigen (CFA) detected by the monoclonal antibody (mAb) Og4C3-ELISA in paired samples of serum and hydrocele fluid from 104 men with hydrocele, living in an endemic area of Wuchereria bancrofti. Nocturnal blood specimens were filtered and examined for microfilariae (MF) and ultrasound was used in order to identify the presence of adult worms (the filaria dance sign - FDS) in the lymphatic vessels of the scrotal area. Four groups were selected according to their parasitological status: group I - 71 MF- and FDS-; group II - 21 MF+ and FDS+; group III - 10 MF- and FDS+ and group IV- 2 MF+ and FDS-. CFA was identified simultaneously (fluid and serum) in 11 (15.5%), 21 (100%), 3 (30%), and 1 (50%) in groups I, II, III, and IV, respectively. In despite of high CFA+ level (antigen Og4C3) units/ml, the Geometrical Mean (GM) = 2696) in the sera of these 36/104 paired samples, when compared to the hydrocele fluid, (GM = 1079), showed a very good correlation between the CFA level in the serum and CFA level in the fluid (r = 0.731). CFA level in the serum of the 23 microfilaremics (groups II and IV) was extremely high (GM = 4189) and was correlated with MF density (r = 0.442). These findings report for the first time the potential alternative use of the hydrocele fluid to investigate CFA using the mAb Og4C3-ELISA.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Parasitologia, Serviço de Referência Nacional em Filariose, Centro de Pesquisas Aggeu Magalhães, Fiocruz, Recife, PE, Brasil. rocha@cpqam.fiocruz.br
authors.forename: Abraham
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rocha
authors.forename: Guilherme
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lima
authors.forename: Zulma
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Medeiros
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aguiar-Santos
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Alves
authors.forename: Ulisses
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Montarroyos
authors.forename: Paula
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.forename: Fátima
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Béliz
authors.forename: Maria José
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Netto
authors.forename: André
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Furtado
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000947:Antigens, Helminth / Q000032:analysis*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005368:Filariasis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D006848:Testicular Hydrocele / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology*; D014958:Wuchereria bancrofti / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000947:Antigens, Helminth