title: Antibody profiling in ultrasound normal individuals with positive serology for cystic echinococcosis.
abstract: Cystic echinococcosis is a zoonotic disease caused by the cestode parasite Echinococcus granulosus. In endemic regions, seropositive individuals to E. granulosus usually and markedly outnumber image-confirmed cases of cystic echinococcosis, suggesting that some parasite challenges derive in unsuccessful infection establishments. However, it is still unknown whether such parasite-specific antibodies in healthy individuals might play a role in resistance/susceptibility to the infection. Therefore, we have here analysed the profile of antibodies recognizing E. granulosus antigens in seropositive but ultrasound normal individuals, as well as in surgery-confirmed patients and healthy donors. Our results showed that ultrasound normal individuals exhibited low avidity IgG antibodies, as well as low levels of parasite-specific IgG1 and IgG4 antibodies. In addition, they displayed significant levels of specific IgE, and thus, they revealed a uniquely high IgE:IgG4 ratio. Moreover, high levels of parasite-specific IgM were detected in such individuals, which showed characteristics of natural cross-reacting antibodies. Therefore, our results indicate that ultrasound normal individuals but seropositive for E. granulosus antigens exhibit a distinctive antibody profile. In this regard, possible associations between their antiparasite antibodies and potential resistance mechanisms to cystic echinococcosis are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Química/Facultad de Ciencias, Cátedra de Inmunología - DEPBIO/IQB, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mourglia-Ettlin
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Química/Facultad de Ciencias, Cátedra de Inmunología - DEPBIO/IQB, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Miles
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Química/Facultad de Ciencias, Cátedra de Inmunología - DEPBIO/IQB, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hernández
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Química/Facultad de Ciencias, Cátedra de Inmunología - DEPBIO/IQB, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dematteis
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D000909:Antibodies, Helminth / Q000097:blood*; D000947:Antigens, Helminth / Q000276:immunology; D002648:Child; D004443:Echinococcosis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000469:parasitology; D048209:Echinococcus granulosus / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D000909:Antibodies, Helminth; D000947:Antigens, Helminth; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007073:Immunoglobulin E
keywords: Echinococcus granulosus; IgE; IgG4; natural IgM; resistance