Intrathecal synthesis of specific immunoglobulin G antibodies in neurocysticercosis: evaluation of antibody concentrations by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay using a whole cysticercal extract and cyst vesicular fluid as antigens

• Published in: Diagnostic microbiology and infectious disease Vol. 54; no. 1; pp. 45 - 49
• Main Authors: Arruda, Gisele C., Quagliato, Elizabeth M.A.B., Rossi, Cláudio L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 2006; Elsevier
• Subjects: Animals; Antibodies, Helminth - analysis; Antibodies, Helminth - cerebrospinal fluid; Antibodies, Helminth - immunology; Antigens, Helminth - cerebrospinal fluid; Antigens, Helminth - immunology; Biological and medical sciences; Cyst Fluid; Cysticercosis; Cysticercus - immunology; Diseases caused by cestodes; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay - methods; Evaluation Studies as Topic; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Helminthic diseases; Humans; Immunoglobulin G - analysis; Immunoglobulin G - blood; Immunoglobulin G - cerebrospinal fluid; Immunoglobulin G - immunology; Infectious diseases; Intrathecal antibody production; Medical sciences; Microbiology; Neurocysticercosis; Neurocysticercosis - diagnosis; Neurocysticercosis - immunology; Parasitic diseases; Specific antibody index; Taenia; Taenia - immunology; Tumors; Intrathecal antibody production; Neurocysticercosis; Specific antibody index; Cysticercosis; Microbiology; Antibody; IgG; Parasitosis; Helminthiasis; Cestode disease; Antigen; Infection; Cyst; Benign neoplasm; ELISA assay
• ISSN: 0732-8893; 1879-0070
• DOI: 10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2005.08.007

The demonstration of intrathecal antibody production has proven useful for showing the involvement of the central nervous system (CNS) in several diseases. In the present study, the intrathecal synthesis of cysticercus-specific immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies was investigated in 30 patients with neurocysticercosis based on calculation of the specific IgG antibody index (AI IgG). An AI IgG ≥1.5 was considered to be indicative of intrathecal antibody production. Antibody concentrations in serum and cerebrospinal fluid samples were evaluated using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with 2 antigen preparations from Taenia solium cysticerci, namely, a whole cysticercal extract (TsoW) and the vesicular fluid of the parasite (TsoVF). Intrathecal, cysticercus-specific IgG antibody synthesis was observed in 21 (70%) and 23 (76.6%) patients using the TsoW and TsoVF antigens, respectively. The detection of the intrathecal synthesis of specific antibodies may be a potentially useful tool in establishing the involvement of CNS in cysticercosis.