title: Immunoassays as an auxiliary tool for the serodiagnosis of Schistosoma mansoni infection in individuals with low intensity of egg elimination.
abstract: In an attempt to improve the screening of Schistosoma mansoni-infected individuals from a low-transmission area, we established a protocol that includes three independent coproscopy examinations and two serological assays. Three stool samples were examined using the Kato-Katz and free sedimentation methods and serum samples were tested by IgG-ELISA and IgM-immunofluorescence. Two hundred and sixty-nine individuals participated in the survey: 132 individuals (49%) showed positive serological test results. Of these, 16 (6%) had positive results in stool examination in the first sample batch. However, there were also cases with positive serological test results in spite of negative Kato-Katz stool examinations. Additional stool samples were obtained from these subjects and in this way an additional 11 egg-excretors were found. Our findings suggest that a screening method that combines antibody isotype detection and repeated parasitological stool examinations could increase the chances of detecting S. mansoni-infected patients.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Imunologia, Instituto de Microbiologia Professor Paulo de Góes-CCS, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, 21941590 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Margareth M L
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Gonçalves
authors.forename: Magali G M
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Barreto
authors.forename: Regina H S
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Peralta
authors.forename: Cybele
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gargioni
authors.forename: Tiana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gonçalves
authors.forename: Ricardo P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Igreja
authors.forename: Marisa S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Soares
authors.forename: José M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Peralta
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000909:Antibodies, Helminth / Q000097:blood*; D000947:Antigens, Helminth / Q000276:immunology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology*; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D010270:Parasite Egg Count; D012550:Schistosoma mansoni / Q000254:growth & development / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012555:Schistosomiasis mansoni / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000469:parasitology; D012698:Serologic Tests
chemical_list: D000909:Antibodies, Helminth; D000947:Antigens, Helminth; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M