This study was undertaken to characterize the properties of a 100 kDa somatic antigen from Metagonimus yokogawai. Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) were produced against this 100 kDa antigen, and their immunoreactivity was assessed by western blot analysis with patients' sera. The mAbs against the 100 kDa antigen commonly reacted with various kinds of trematode antigens, including intestinal (Gymnophalloides seoi), lung (Paragonimus westermani), and liver flukes (Clonorchis sinensis and Fasciola hepatica). However, this mAb showed no cross-reactions with other helminth parasites, including nematodes and cestodes. To determine the topographic distribution of the 100 kDa antigen in worm sections, indirect immunoperoxidase staining was performed. A strong positive reaction was observed in the tegumental and subtegumental layers of adult M. yokogawai and C. sinensis. The results showed that the 100 kDa somatic protein of M. yokogawai is a common antigen which recognizes a target epitope present over the tegumental layer of different trematode species.
Animals ; Antibodies, Helminth/immunology ; Antibodies, Monoclonal/*immunology ; Antigens, Helminth/*immunology ; Clonorchis sinensis/immunology ; Cross Reactions/immunology ; Fasciola hepatica/immunology ; Female ; Helminth Proteins/*immunology ; Heterophyidae/*immunology ; Immunologic Tests ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Paragonimus westermani/immunology ; Trematode Infections/*diagnosis/immunology

Mucosal immune responses against Pygidiopsis summa (Trematoda: Heterophyidae) infection were studied in ICR mice. Experimental groups consisted of group 1 (uninfected controls), group 2 (infection with 200 metacercariae), and group 3 (immunosuppression with Depo-Medrol and infection with 200 metacercariae). Worms were recovered in the small intestine at days 1, 3, 5, and 7 post-infection (PI). Intestinal intraepithelial lymphocytes (IEL), mast cells, and goblet cells were counted in intestinal tissue sections stained with Giemsa, astra-blue, and periodic acid-Schiff, respectively. Mucosal IgA levels were measured by ELISA. Expulsion of P. summa from the mouse intestine began to occur from days 3-5 PI which sustained until day 7 PI. The worm expulsion was positively correlated with proliferation of IEL, mast cells, goblet cells, and increase of IgA, although in the case of mast cells significant increase was seen only at day 7 PI. Immunosuppression suppressed all these immune effectors and inhibited worm reduction in the intestine until day 7 PI. The results suggested that various immune effectors which include IEL, goblet cells, mast cells, and IgA play roles in regulating the intestinal mucosal immunity of ICR mice against P. summa infection.
Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Goblet Cells/immunology ; Heterophyidae/*immunology ; *Immunity, Mucosal ; Immunoglobulin A/analysis ; Intestine, Small/parasitology/pathology ; Leukocyte Count ; Lymphocytes/immunology ; Male ; Mast Cells/immunology ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Parasite Load ; Time Factors ; Trematode Infections/*immunology/parasitology

The prevalence of liver and intestinal fluke infections was determined by surveying inhabitants of Hengxuan, Fusui, and Shanglin villages which were known to be endemic for liver flukes in Guangxi, China in May 2010. A total of 718 people were examined for helminth eggs by the Kato-Katz thick smear technique, ultrasonography, immunoaffinity chromatography, and DNA sequencing. The overall egg positive rate was found to be 59.6% (28.0-70.6%) that included mixed infections with liver and intestinal flukes. Cases showing higher than 20,000 eggs per gram of feces (EPG) were detected between 1.3% and 16.2%. Ultrasonographic findings exhibited overall 28.2% (72 of 255 cases) dilatation rate of the intrahepatic bile duct. Clonorchis sinensis infection was detected serologically in 88.3% (38 of 43 cases) among C. sinensis egg positive subjects by the immunoaffinity chromatography using a specific antigen for C. sinensis. For differential diagnosis of the liver and intestinal flukes, more precise PCR and nucleotide sequencing for copro-DNA were performed for 46 egg positive cases. Mixed infections with C. sinensis and Metagonimus yokogawai were detected in 8 of 46 egg positive cases, whereas 29 specimens were positive for Haplorchis taichui. Ultrasonographic findings and immunoaffinity chromatography results showed usefulness, even in a limited way, in figuring out of the liver fluke endemicity.
Animals ; China/epidemiology ; Chromatography, Affinity ; Clonorchiasis/*epidemiology/parasitology/ultrasonography ; Clonorchis sinensis/genetics/immunology/*isolation & purification ; Coinfection ; DNA, Helminth/chemistry/genetics ; Feces/parasitology ; Female ; Heterophyidae/genetics/*isolation & purification ; Humans ; Intestines/*parasitology ; Liver/*parasitology ; Parasite Egg Count ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Prevalence ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Trematode Infections/*epidemiology/parasitology/ultrasonography