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Immunoepidemiology of Ascaris lumbricoides: relationships between antibody specificities, exposure and infection in a human community

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 April 2009

M. R. Haswell-Elkins ,
H. Leonard ,
M. W. Kennedy ,
D. B. Elkins  and
R. M. Maizels
M. R. Haswell-Elkins
Affiliation:
Tropical Health Program, Queensland Institute of Medical Research, Brisbane, Australia
H. Leonard
Affiliation:
Tropical Health Program, Queensland Institute of Medical Research, Brisbane, Australia
M. W. Kennedy
Affiliation:
Wellcome Laboratories for Experimental Parasitology, University of Glasgow, Scotland
D. B. Elkins
Affiliation:
Tropical Health Program, Queensland Institute of Medical Research, Brisbane, Australia
R. M. Maizels
Affiliation:
Department of Biology, Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, London, U.K.
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Summary

The serum antibody responses of 124 people naturally exposed to Ascaris lumbricoides infection were analysed by immunoprecipitation of radio-isotope labelled 3rd- and 4th-stage larval Ascaris suum excretory and secretory antigens (L3/4 ES). Profiles of antigens recognized were visualized by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS–PAGE), and the band intensities of the 12 major precipitated antigens were individually scored. Most subjects were seropositive, but considerable variation was observed in the amount of total and individual ES antigens precipitated. The sex- and age-related profiles of antibody levels followed similar patterns to those of egg output. In addition, total antibody scores of individuals were closely correlated (r = 0.47–0.52) with their eggs per gram of faeces (e.p.g.) collected 4 months after blood samples were taken. These findings suggest that antibody levels against larval ES antigens reflect recent exposure and are consistent with the hypothesis that establishment of adult worms is proportional to the number of larvae that recently migrated through the lung.

Keywords

Ascaris lumbricoidesantibody responseslarval excretory/secretory antigensintensity of infectionepidemiology
Type
Research Article
Information
Parasitology , Volume 104 , Issue 1 , February 1992 , pp. 153 - 159
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1992

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