Seroepidemiology of abdominal angiostrongyliasis: the standardization of an immunoenzymatic assay and prevalence of antibodies in two localities in Southern Brazil

Authors: Graeff-Teixeira, C.¹; Agostini, A. A.²; Camillo-Coura, L.¹; Ferreira-da-Cruz, M. F.¹

Source: Tropical Medicine & International Health, Volume 2, Number 3, March 1997 , pp. 254-260(7)

Buy & download fulltext article:

Price: $48.00 plus tax (Refund Policy)

Abstract:

Abdominal angiostrongyliasis is a nematode disease produced by Angiostrongylus costaricensis, a metastrongylid parasite of wild rodents. Accidental human infection occurs through ingestion of food or water contaminated with third-stage larvae present in the mucous secretion of terrestrial molluscs. An ELISA test was standardized for detection of IgG antibodies recognizing a surface antigen prepared from female worms. Competitive absorption of sera with Ascaris suum crude antigen resulted in a test with 86% sensitivity and 83% specificity. The disease is endemic in Southern Brazil and a number of cases are diagnosed every year through anatomo-pathological examination of biopsies or surgical specimens, since no other diagnostic method is available. According to seroepidemiological studies, prevalences in two transmission foci are 29.8 and 66%, attesting to the widespread occurrence of the infection in those endemic areas.

Keywords: angiostrongyliasis; ELISA; Brazil

Document Type: Original article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-3156.1997.d01-266.x

Affiliations: 1: Department of Immunology, WHO Collaborating Center for Research and Training in the Immunology of Parasitic Diseases, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro and Instituto Biociencias, PUCRS, Porto Alegre, Brazil, 2: Universidade de Passo Fundo-RS, Brazil

Publication date: 1997-03-01