A strategy for identifying serodiagnostically relevant antigens of Leishmania or other pathogens in genetic libraries

Biologicals. 2007 Mar;35(1):51-4. doi: 10.1016/j.biologicals.2006.01.005. Epub 2006 Mar 31.

Abstract

Different individuals, when infected with the same parasite, rarely produce antibodies against the same set of antigens. Indeed, unless a particular antigen happens to be recognized by antibodies in all individuals, the use of a single antigen in the serodiagnosis of parasitic diseases leads, invariably, to false-negative results. A straightforward method for pin-pointing, in genetic libraries, the precise antigens that would increase serodiagnostic assay sensitivities is presented. The method is based on the utilization of sera that produced false-negative results against previously available antigens. Employing this false-negative serum-selection methodology for the identification of new Leishmania infantum recombinant antigens (rAgs), the sensitivity of a dipstick assay for anti-Leishmania antibodies in a panel of sera from patients with visceral leishmaniasis was increased from 83.3% to 98.1%, without affecting its specificity, by the inclusion of a fifth and a sixth L. infantum rAg.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Protozoan
  • Antigens, Protozoan / isolation & purification*
  • Blotting, Western
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
  • False Negative Reactions
  • Gene Library*
  • Humans
  • Leishmania / isolation & purification*
  • Leishmaniasis, Visceral / blood
  • Parasites / isolation & purification*
  • Reference Values
  • Sensitivity and Specificity

Substances

  • Antibodies, Protozoan
  • Antigens, Protozoan