Isolation of specific antigens from Trichinella spiralis by the rotating horizontal ampholine column method

By preparative isoelectric focusing in a rotating ampholine column, specific antigens with molecular weights of 45, 47 and 53 kDa were successfully isolated from crude somatic extracts of Trichinella spiralis muscle larvae. These antigens, with pI 5.5, 4.3 and 4.4, were found to possess the same epitope found in specific antigens in the excretory/secretory products that were recovered by in vitro culture of muscle larvae. When the antigens obtained by the two methods were compared using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, they showed similar specificity and sensitivity.