Feline dirofilariosis: antibody response to antigenic fractions containing specific 20 to 30 kDa polypeptides from the adult Dirofilaria immitis somatic antigen

• Published in: Veterinary parasitology Vol. 103; no. 4; pp. 341 - 353
• Main Authors: Prieto, G, Ceciliani, F, Venco, L, Morchón, R, Simón, F
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 04.02.2002
• Subjects: Animals; Anthelmintics - therapeutic use; Antibodies, Helminth - biosynthesis; Antibodies, Helminth - blood; Antigenic fractions; Antigens, Helminth - immunology; Cat; Cat Diseases - diagnosis; Cat Diseases - immunology; Cat Diseases - parasitology; Cats; Chromatography, Gel - veterinary; Chromatography, Ion Exchange - veterinary; Diagnosis; Dirofilaria immitis; Dirofilaria immitis - immunology; Dirofilariasis - diagnosis; Dirofilariasis - immunology; ELISA; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay - veterinary; Epitopes - immunology; Heart - parasitology; Immunoglobulin G - biosynthesis; Immunoglobulin G - blood; Ivermectin - therapeutic use; Molecular Weight; Antigenic fractions; Diagnosis; Dirofilaria immitis; Cat; ELISA
• ISSN: 0304-4017; 1873-2550
• DOI: 10.1016/S0304-4017(01)00540-4

Fractions from the adult somatic antigen (SA) Dirofilaria immitis complex, containing polypeptides from 20 to 30 kDa, previously identified as molecular markers of feline dirofilariosis are isolated by sequential application of gel filtration and anion exchange chromatography. Indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, employing these fractions (20–26 kDa/ELISAF1 and 30 kDa/ELISAF7) show multivalent diagnostic capacities: they were able to detect pre-patent infections 2 months after infection, infections in clinical phase, and the fall of antibodies after the worms were removed from the heart, or the application of a ivermectin treatment. The results obtained by the two tests correlated well, in spite of the fact that ELISAF1 was most useful to detect antibodies in sera from cats in the clinical phase, while ELISAF7 has more sensitivity for the early detection of the infections. Both ELISAs were useful in the detection of the decrease of antibodies after the worms were removed by surgery or pharmacological treatment.