Assessment of an immuno-diagnostic method for hookworm-related cutaneous larva migrans using crude extracts of 'Ancylostoma caninum'

• Published in: Tropical medicine and infectious disease Vol. 8; no. 4; pp. 1 - 15
• Main Authors: Adam, Sitthithana, Dekumyoy, Paron, Nacapunchai, Duangporn, Ketboonlue, Thawatchai, Charunwatthana, Prakaykaew, Dhitavat, Jittima, Koompapong, Khuanchai, Chonsawat, Putza, Watthanakulpanich, Dorn
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel, Switzerland MDPI 30.03.2023; MDPI AG
• Subjects: Ancylostoma caninum; Ancylostoma caninum antigen; Antigens; cutaneous larva migrans; Dogs; Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; Evaluation; Hookworm disease; IgG subclasses; Immunoblotting; indirect ELISA; Infections; Parasites; Prevention; Therapeutics, Cutaneous and external; total IgG; Tropical diseases; Worms; Zoonoses; South America; Canada; South Africa; United States > US; cutaneous larva migrans; indirect ELISA; total IgG; Ancylostoma caninum antigen; IgG subclasses
• ISSN: 2414-6366; 2414-6366
• DOI: 10.3390/tropicalmed8040209

People can become infected with cutaneous larva migrans (CLM) through skin penetration by the infective zoonotic larvae of hookworms. Few studies have investigated CLM's immunodiag- nosis, and the existing studies were limited to crude somatic or excretory/secretory antigens (Ags) from adult worms. Here, we aimed to develop an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to differentiate and diagnose hwCLM by detecting immunoglobulin (Ig)E, IgG, and IgG subclasses 1-4 (IgG1-4) against the somatic Ag of adult Ancylostoma caninum checkerboard titrations of adult A. caninum worm extract. Pooled serum controls were immunocharacterized using an indirect ELISA. The IgG1-4 and IgE results were unsatisfactory; however, the use of total IgG achieved results comparable to those of immunoblotting. Thus, we continued to analyze the IgG-ELISA using serum samples from patients with hwCLM and heterologous infections as well as from healthy controls. The sensitivity and excellent specificity of the total IgG-ELISA were 93.75% and 98.37%, respectively, and its positive and negative predictive values were 75% and 99.67%, respectively. Antibodies from five cases of angiostrongyliasis, gnathostomiasis, and dirofilariasis cross-reacted with the somatic Ag of adult A. caninum. This new assay can adequately serodiagnose hwCLM when combined with clinical features and/or histological examination.