[Detection of circulating antigen in the sera in patients with schistosomiasis using monoclonal antibody testing]

Monoclonal Antibody-Antigen Spot Test (McAb-AST) was used for detecting circulating antigen in sera from patients with schistosomiasis japonicum. McAb-AST positive rate in 308 schistosomiasis patients before treatment was 75.97%. Among the patients who had moderate or severe infection, the McAb-AST positive rates were 91.18% or 100% respectively. However, the McAb-AST cross-reactive rates in 123 normal donors, 98 clonorchiasis patients, 50 paragonimiasis patients and 56 patients with other parasitic diseases were 0%, 3.06%, 4%, and 1.79% respectively. 1.3 and 6 months after treatment, the McAb-AST negative-converting rates in patients who had negative results of stool hatching were 98.03%, 100% and 100% respectively. Compared with the results of detection of circulating antibodies, negative-conversion of circulating antigen in the patients with negative stool hatching appeared earlier and the negative-converting rate of circulating antigen was much higher. Therefore, McAb-AST had significant value in clinical practice because of its high sensitivity, specificity and good reproducibility.