Cysticercus antibodies and antigens in serum from blood donors from Pondicherry, India

The aim of the present study was to screen the serum of blood donors, which are apparently healthy and residing in Pondicherry or its neighboring districts of Tamil Nadu State, for specific detection of Cysticercus antigens and antibodies. A total of 216 blood samples were collected from blood donors at the Central Blood Bank, JIPMER Hospital, Pondicherry, India during January and February 2004. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to demonstrate anti-Cysticercus antibodies and the Co-agglutination (CoA) was used to detect antigen in sera. 14 (6.48 %) males were positive for either anti-Cysticercus antibodies or antigens. Of these eight sera were positive for anti-Cysticercus antibodies and six were positive for antigens. Results of the present study show that serum Cysticercus antigen detection may be a useful adjunct to antibody testing for seroprevalence studies of cysticercosis in the community. The present study is the first kind of study, carried out to determine both cysticercal antibodies as well as antigens in the serum samples collected from the healthy blood donors.O objetivo do presente estudo foi examinar o soro de doadores de sangue que são aparentemente saudáveis e residentes em Pondicherry ou seus distritos vizinhos do estado de Tamil Nadu, para a detecção específica dos antígenos e anticorpos de Cysticercus. Um total de 216 amostras de sangue foram coletadas de doadores de sangue do "Central Blood Bank, JIPMER Hospital", Pondicherry, Índia, durante janeiro e fevereiro de 2004. ELISA foi usado para demonstrar anticorpos anti-Cysticercus e co-aglutinação (CoA) foi utilizada para detectar antígenos no soro. 14 (6.48%) homens foram positivos para antígenos e anticorpos anti-Cysticercus. Destes, oito soros foram positivos para anticorpos anti-Cysticercus e seis positivos para antígenos. Os resultados do presente estudo mostram que a detecção de antígenos de Cysticercus no soro pode ser um adjunto útil para o teste de anticorpos para estudos de soroprevalência de cisticercose na comunidade. O presente estudo é o primeiro do tipo, realizado para determinar tanto anticorpos de Cysticercus como antígenos nas amostras de soro coletadas de doadores de sangue aparentemente saudáveis

Cysticercus antibodies and antigens in serum from blood donors from Pondicherry, India

The aim of the present study was to screen the serum of blood donors, which are apparently healthy and residing in Pondicherry or its neighboring districts of Tamil Nadu State, for specific detection of Cysticercus antigens and antibodies. A total of 216 blood samples were collected from blood donors at the Central Blood Bank, JIPMER Hospital, Pondicherry, India during January and February 2004. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to demonstrate anti-Cysticercus antibodies and the Co-agglutination (CoA) was used to detect antigen in sera. 14 (6.48 %) males were positive for either anti-Cysticercus antibodies or antigens. Of these eight sera were positive for anti-Cysticercus antibodies and six were positive for antigens. Results of the present study show that serum Cysticercus antigen detection may be a useful adjunct to antibody testing for seroprevalence studies of cysticercosis in the community. The present study is the first kind of study, carried out to determine both cysticercal antibodies as well as antigens in the serum samples collected from the healthy blood donors