Strongyloides venezuelensis is a parasitic nematode of rodents
frequently used to obtain heterologous antigens for the immunological diagnosis of
human strongyloidiasis. The aim of this study was to evaluate membrane fractions from
S. venezuelensis for human strongyloidiasis immunodiagnosis.
Soluble and membrane fractions were obtained in phosphate saline (SS and SM) and
Tris-HCl (TS and TM) from filariform larvae of S. venezuelensis.
Ninety-two serum samples (n = 92) were obtained from 20 strongyloidiasis patients
(Group I), 32 from patients with other parasitic diseases (Group II), and 40 from
healthy individuals (Group III), and were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent
assay (ELISA). Soluble fractions (SS and TS) showed 90.0% sensitivity and 88.9%
specificity, whereas the membrane fractions (SM and TM) showed 95.0% sensitivity and
94.4% specificity. The present results suggest the possible use of membrane fractions
of S. venezuelensis as an alternative antigen for human
strongyloidiasis immunodiagnosis.
SUMMARYStrongyloides venezuelensis is a parasitic nematode of rats which is frequently used as a model to study human and animal strongyloidiasis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the correlation between parasitological and molecular diagnosis in Strongyloides venezuelensis infection. PCR assays were used to detect S. venezuelensis DNA in fecal samples obtained from experimentally infected Rattus norvegicus. The results showed a higher sensitivity of the PCR assay in detecting the infection compared to parasitological methods.
SUMMARYStrongyloidiasis is a potentially serious infection in immunocompromised patients.
Thus, the availability of sensitive and specific diagnostic methods is desirable,
especially in the context of immunosuppressed patients in whom the diagnosis and
treatment of strongyloidiasis is of utmost importance. In this study, serological and
molecular tools were used to diagnose Strongyloides stercoralis
infections in immunosuppressed patients. Serum and stool samples were obtained from
52 patients. Stool samples were first analyzed by Lutz, Rugai, and Agar plate culture
methods, and then by a quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Serum
samples were evaluated by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using a
soluble (AS) or a membrane fractions antigen (AM) obtained from alkaline solutions of
the filariform larvae of Strongyloides venezuelensis. Of the 52
immunosuppressed patients, three (5.8%) were positive for S.
stercoralis by parasitological methods, compared to two patients (3.8%)
and one patient (1.9%) who were detected by ELISA using the AS and the AM antigens,
respectively. S. stercoralis DNA was amplified in seven (13.5%)
stool samples by qPCR. These results suggest the utility of qPCR as an alternative
diagnostic tool for the diagnosis of S. stercoralis infection in
immunocompromised patients, considering the possible severity of this helminthiasis
in this group of patients.
OBJECTIVES:
Hyperinfection or disseminated strongyloidiasis has been frequently reported after transplants and is related to high mortality. This study aimed to screen for strongyloidiasis using serological diagnoses in transplant candidates.
METHODS:
An ELISA test was performed with filariform larvae of
Strongyloides venezuelensis
as a source of antigen.
RESULTS:
In the serum from transplant candidates, anti-
Strongyloides
IgG antibodies were detected in 35/150 (23.3%) samples by soluble fractions in phosphate buffered saline (PBS), 31/150 (20.7%) samples by soluble fractions in Tris-HCl, 27/150 (18.0%) samples by membrane fractions in PBS and 22/150 (14.7%) samples by membrane fractions in Tris-HCl.
CONCLUSIONS:
The present results suggest the ELISA test, ideally using soluble fractions of filariform larvae
S. venezuelensis
in PBS, as an additional strategy for the diagnosis of strongyloidiasis in transplant candidates.
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