title: Comparison of parasitological, immunological and molecular methods for evaluation of fecal samples of immunosuppressed rats experimentally infected with Strongyloides venezuelensis.
abstract: Definitive diagnosis of strongyloidiasis in humans is typically achieved by detection of larvae in fecal samples. However, limitations on sensitivity of parasitological methods emphasize the need for more robust diagnostic methods. The aim of this study was to compare the diagnostic value of three methods: eggs per gram of feces (EPG), coproantigen detection by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and DNA detection by conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The assays were performed at 0 and 5, 8, 13, 21 and 39 days post-infection (dpi) using fecal samples from experimentally infected immunocompetent and immunosuppressed rats. In immunocompetent rats, eggs were detected in feces on days 5, 8 and 13 dpi; coproantigen detection and PCR amplification were successful at all post-infection time points (5, 8, 13, 21 and 39 dpi). In immunosuppressed rats, eggs were detected at 5, 8, 13 and 21; coproantigen detection and PCR amplification were successful at all post-infection time points. In conclusion, these results suggest that coproantigen detection and PCR may be more sensitive alternatives to traditional methods such as EPG for diagnosis of Strongyloides venezuelensis infection.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas,Universidade Federal de Uberlândia (UFU),Av. Pará 1720,Uberlândia,38400-902 Minas Gerais,Brazil.
authors.forename: Leilane A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Chaves
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas,Universidade Federal de Uberlândia (UFU),Av. Pará 1720,Uberlândia,38400-902 Minas Gerais,Brazil.
authors.forename: Ana Lúcia R
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Gonçalves
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Investigação Médica,Hospital de Clínicas da Universidade de São Paulo,São Paulo,Brazil.
authors.forename: Fabiana M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Paula
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas,Universidade Federal de Uberlândia (UFU),Av. Pará 1720,Uberlândia,38400-902 Minas Gerais,Brazil.
authors.forename: Neide M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas,Universidade Federal de Uberlândia (UFU),Av. Pará 1720,Uberlândia,38400-902 Minas Gerais,Brazil.
authors.forename: Cláudio V
authors.initials: CV
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas,Universidade Federal de Uberlândia (UFU),Av. Pará 1720,Uberlândia,38400-902 Minas Gerais,Brazil.
authors.forename: Julia M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Costa-Cruz
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas,Universidade Federal de Uberlândia (UFU),Av. Pará 1720,Uberlândia,38400-902 Minas Gerais,Brazil.
authors.forename: Michelle A R
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Freitas
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000947:Antigens, Helminth / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D001483:Base Sequence; D018509:DNA, Helminth / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry / Q000469:parasitology*; D007121:Immunocompetence; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D008297:Male; D010270:Parasite Egg Count; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D013321:Strongyloides / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D013322:Strongyloidiasis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000469:parasitology
chemical_list: D000947:Antigens, Helminth; D018509:DNA, Helminth
keywords: PCR; Strongyloides venezuelensis; diagnosis; fecal antigen; immunosuppression; strongyloidiasis