Agar-gel diffusion test (AGD), counterimmunoelectrophoresis (CIEP) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) were examined with the sera of skin test positives for paragonimiasis. The crude antigen(Paragonimus whole worm extracts: protein concentration, 7.56mg/ml) and human sera were used in AGD and CIEP. And in ELISA test, diluted antigen with 1:40,000 of crude antigen and diluted sera with 1:100, 1:200 were used in the test. The positive identical ratio between AGD and CIEP reactions is 98 percent and negative identical ratio is 100 percent. One or three precipitin bands are observed in AGD. One to seven precipitin bands are also revealed in CIEP. Especially, deeply stained bands are observed in CIEP than those of AGD. The positive identical ratios between AGD and ELISA tests are 96 percent in 1:100 diluted sera, and 94 percent in 1:200 diluted sera. But the negative identical ratios between AGD and ELISA tests are 97 percent and 99 percent respectively in 1:100 and 1:200 diluted sera. The positive identical ratios between CIEP and ELISA tests are 98 percent and 96 percent respectively in 1:100 and 1:200 diluted sera, but also 97 percent and 99 percent in 1:100 and 1:200. Control sera, such as clonorchiasis, amoebiasis and toxoplasmosis, revealed all negatives with Paragonimus antigen in AGD, CIEP and ELISA tests. By above results, ELISA was most sensitive, next CIEP and AGD. But AGD test appears to be more useful when used to crude antigen without cross reaction with other parasitic infections. CIEP test is basically equal in terms of precipitin reaction, but CIEP is able to be detected more sensitively and rapidly though less simple in handiwork than AGD. Consequently, three methods for immunological tests of paragonimiasis have good correlations with one another. Also, each of these has both merits and demerits in immunological test for paragonimiasis. But the ELISA test was proved to be the most sensitive and convenient tool for mass screening test, especially in case of using purified antigen.
parasitology-helminth-trematoda ; Clonorchis sinensis ; clonorchiasis ; ELISA ; immunology ; diagnosis ; paragonimiasis ; Paragonimus westermani ; agar-gel diffusion ; counterimmunoelectrophoresis

The sero-prevalence of antibodies against blue tongue virus (BTV) in 408 local breeds of sheep in Rajasthan state in India was investigated using standard agar gel immunodiffusion (AGID) test. Maximum seropositivities of 11.3% (13/115), 10.7% (13/121), 7.1% (11/155) and 5.9% (1/17) were recorded in the Chokla, Magra, Nali and Pugal breeds, respectively. Out of 107 goat serum samples, 6 (5.6%) were AGID positive. The performance of the standard AGID, counter current immuno-electrophoresis (CCIE) and the competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (cELISA) for the detection of serum antibody against BTV in indigenous breeds of sheep were compared. Out of 178 sheep serum samples tested, 17 (9.5%), 22 (12.3%) and 54 (30.3%) were positive for group-specific bluetongue antibodies by AGID, CCIE and cELISA, respectively. There was appreciable difference in the seroprevalence detected by AGID, CCIE and cELISA in clinically healthy and diseased sheep with regard to relative sensitivities and specificities of the tests with cELISA being highly sensitive and specific followed by CCIE and AGID test. It was concluded that these indigenous breeds of sheep may be a potential reservoir of BTV infection and cELISA should be routinely used for the detection of antibodies against BTV in these local breeds of sheep.
Animals ; Antibodies, Viral/*analysis ; Bluetongue/*diagnosis/*epidemiology ; Counterimmunoelectrophoresis ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Goat Diseases/*diagnosis ; Goats ; Immunodiffusion ; India/epidemiology ; Prevalence ; Sheep