title: Characterization of Sarcoptes scabiei cofilin gene and assessment of recombinant cofilin protein as an antigen in indirect-ELISA for diagnosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Scabies impairs the health of humans and animals and causes heavy economic losses. Traditional diagnostic methods for scabies are inefficient and ineffective, and so far there is no commercial immunodiagnostic or molecular based test for scabies.
  
  
  METHODS
  Here, we used recombinant Sarcoptes scabiei cofilin protein as an antigen to establish indirect ELISA. S. scabiei cofilin is highly homologous to Dermatophagoides farinae Der f 31 allergen (90% identity). The S. scabiei cofilin gene was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli to obtain recombinant protein. Western blotting and fluorescence immunohistochemistry were carried out, and we established an indirect ELISA method and detected 33 serum samples from scabies infected rabbits and 30 serum samples from naïve rabbits.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Western blotting demonstrated that S. scabiei cofilin possessed good immunogenicity and fluorescence immunohistochemistry showed the S. scabiei cofilin is widespread in the splanchnic area of mites. In ELISA, a cut-off value of 0.188 was determined to judge experimental positive and negative serum values. Specificity and sensitivity of the ELISA were 87.9 and 83.33%, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Recombinant S. scabiei cofilin showed potential value as a diagnostic antigen. The ELISA method established could be used in clinical diagnosis and provide experimental information in minimal or asymptomatic infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Wenjiang, China. zhengyumz@163.com.
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Wenjiang, China. ranhe1991@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Ran
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Wenjiang, China. aliciaheml@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Manli
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Wenjiang, China. guxiaobin198225@126.com.
authors.forename: Xiaobin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Gu
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Wenjiang, China. muhammad06@126.com.
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Wenjiang, China. nwm_mm2004@163.com.
authors.forename: Weimin
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, College of Life and Basic Science, Sichuan Agricultural University, Wenjiang, China. pxuerong@aliyun.com.
authors.forename: Xuerong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Wenjiang, China. guangyou1963@aliyun.com.
authors.forename: Guangyou
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D051339:Actin Depolymerizing Factors / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology; D000818:Animals; D000941:Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D015153:Blotting, Western; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods*; D004926:Escherichia coli; D011817:Rabbits; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D012520:Sarcoptes scabiei / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D051339:Actin Depolymerizing Factors; D000485:Allergens; D000941:Antigens; D011994:Recombinant Proteins