Cross-reacting and specific antigenic components in cystic fluid from metacestodes of Echinococcus granulosus and Taenia solium.

Sera from confirmed patients of 5 hydatidosis, 67 neurocysticercosis and 89 other parasitic diseases were tested for specific antibody (IgG) levels by ELISA to cystic fluid antigens from metacestodes of Echinococcus granulosus (HF) and Taenia solium (CF). All hydatidosis sera reacted positively to both HF and CF while neurocysticercosis sera did in 49.3% to HF and 85.1% to CF. The frequencies of cross-reactions were lower in other parasitic diseases to both antigens. By SDS-PAGE, protein bands of 64, 35, 22 and 7 kilodaltons (kDa) were found common in HF and CF. SDS-PAGE/immunoblot exhibited that hydatidosis sera reacted crossly to CF at 135, 110, 100, 86, 64, 45, 39, 35 and 24 kDa bands while neurocysticercosis sera did to HF at 135, 100, 86, 64, 52, 39, 35, 29 and 24 kDa bands. These results indicated that protein bands of 135, 100, 86, 64, 39, 35 and 24 kDa were major common components in HF and CF. Protein bands of 7 kDa in HF and 15, 10 and 7 kDa in CF did not react crossly and were specific components in respective antigens.