title: Semi-quantitative scoring of an immunochromatographic test for circulating filarial antigen.
abstract: Abstract. The value of a semi-quantitative scoring of the filarial antigen test (Binax Now Filariasis card test, ICT) results was evaluated during a field survey in the Republic of Congo. One hundred and thirty-four (134) of 774 tests (17.3%) were clearly positive and were scored 1, 2, or 3; and 11 (1.4%) had questionable results. Wuchereria bancrofti microfilariae (mf) were detected in 41 of those 133 individuals with an ICT test score ≥ 1 who also had a night blood smear; none of the 11 individuals with questionable ICT results harbored night mf. Cuzick's test showed a significant trend for higher microfilarial densities in groups with higher ICT scores (P < 0.001). The ICT scores were also significantly correlated with blood mf counts. Because filarial antigen levels provide an indication of adult worm infection intensity, our results suggest that semi-quantitative reading of the ICT may be useful for grading the intensity of filarial infections in individuals and populations.
authors.affiliation: Unité Mixte Internationale 233, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement and University of Montpellier 1, Montpellier, France; Programme National de Lutte contre l'Onchocercose, Ministère de la Santé et de la Population, Brazzaville, Republic of Congo; Filariasis and other Tropical Diseases Research Centre, Yaoundé, Cameroon; Infectious Diseases Division, Department of Internal Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri.
authors.forename: Cédric B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Chesnais
authors.forename: François
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Missamou
authors.forename: Sébastien D S
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Pion
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bopda
authors.forename: Frédéric
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Louya
authors.forename: Andrew C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Majewski
authors.forename: Gary J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Weil
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Boussinesq
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D000947:Antigens, Helminth / Q000097:blood*; D002452:Cell Count; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003223:Congo / Q000453:epidemiology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005368:Filariasis / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology; D006801:Humans; D008842:Microfilariae / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic; D012107:Research Design; D014958:Wuchereria bancrofti / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*
chemical_list: D000947:Antigens, Helminth; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic
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