This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Copyright Information Books from ASM Press MicrobeWorld Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Barriga, O. O. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Barriga, O. O.

Reactivity and Specificity of Trichinella spiralis Fractions in Cutaneous and Serological Tests

¹ Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104

ABSTRACT

Six diethylaminoethyl-cellulose fractions of a larval Trichinella spiralis extract, an Ascaris suum extract, and a nonrelated protein were used for cutaneous tests in guinea pigs with 8-, 14-, and 73-day-old T. spiralis infections, in guinea pigs with 13-day-old A. suum infections, and in normal guinea pigs. A selected T. spiralis fraction was used in hemagglutination (HA) tests with sera of 8 T. spiralis-infected rabbits, 41 sera of trichinellosis patients positive by bentonite agglutination tests, and 50 sera of clinically healthy persons. Immediate-type cutaneous reactions revealed extensive cross-reactivity between both parasites, although the establishment of conventional limits for considering a reaction positive allowed the specific diagnosis of acute or chronic trichinellosis with different fractions. Delayed-type reactions were specific with all fractions except one, and different fractions reacted during either the acute or the chronic phase of trichinellosis. HA detected anti-Trichinella antibodies in all the rabbits 9 to 10 days postinfection, in all trichinellosis patients, and in none of the healthy people. Correlation between HA and bentonite agglutination titers and other considerations suggest that HA with the selected fraction detects early antibodies. HA inhibition tests with A. suum extract suggest lack of HA cross-reactivity between the A. suum- and T. spiralis-selected fractions. The use of different fractions in diverse tests for clinical or epidemiological studies is suggested.