Detection of Sarcocystis antigens in the sera of experimentally-infected pigs and mice by an immunoenzymatic assay

Veterinary Parasitology
P J O'Donoghue, H Weyreter

Abstract

Immunoglobulins raised against Sarcocystis miescheriana and Sarcocystis muris cystozoite antigens were isolated from rabbit immune sera by affinity chromatography (using CNBr-activated Sepharose 4B for antigen immobilization). The specific immunoglobulins were incorporated into double-antibody sandwich immuno-enzymatic assays which were firstly quantitated and then used to detect soluble Sarcocystis antigens in the sera of experimentally-infected pigs and mice. Assays employing immunoglobulins attached to the solid-phase at concentrations of 80 micrograms/ml were capable of detecting homologous soluble cystozoite and sporozoite reference antigens at concentrations as low as 8 micrograms/ml. Circulating antigens were detected both in the presence and absence of acute clinical disease in pigs experimentally-infected with high and low doses of S. miescheriana sporocysts. The antigenemia detected was transitory (occurring from 3-20 days post-inoculation: dpi) and coincided well with the sporozoite and merozoite phases of parasite development. Circulating antigens were also detected during subclinical infections in mice (from 4-49 dpi) following their experimental infection with low doses of S. muris sporocysts. Specific immuno-enzy...Continue Reading

References

Aug 1, 1979·The Journal of Histochemistry and Cytochemistry : Official Journal of the Histochemistry Society·A J O'Beirne, H R Cooper
Apr 1, 1976·The Journal of Infectious Diseases·A Ruiz, J K Frenkel
Dec 1, 1974·The Journal of Histochemistry and Cytochemistry : Official Journal of the Histochemistry Society·P K Nakane, A Kawaoi

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