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IgG4 subclass antibody serology for onchocerciasis
G J Weil1, A F Ogunrinade, R Chandrashekar
1Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri.
The Journal of Infectious Diseases
|March 1, 1990
Summary
Researchers found that IgG4 antibodies offer enhanced specificity for diagnosing onchocerciasis (river blindness). However, cross-reactivity among filarial parasites limits the diagnostic utility of IgG4 antibody assays.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Parasitology
- Medical Diagnostics
Background:
- Antibodies, particularly IgG4, play a role in immune responses to parasitic infections.
- Cross-reactivity due to shared carbohydrate determinants can complicate serological diagnosis of nematode infections.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the subclass restriction of antibodies to Onchocerca volvulus antigens.
- To evaluate the specificity and utility of IgG4 antibody assays for diagnosing onchocerciasis.
Main Methods:
- Enzyme immunoassay and immunoblot techniques were used to analyze total IgG and IgG4 antibody responses.
- Sera from Nigerian onchocerciasis patients, endemic controls, and US controls were examined.
Main Results:
- IgG4 antibody assays showed negligible background reactivity compared to total IgG assays.
- IgG4 antibodies were detected in a high proportion of onchocerciasis serum samples.
- IgG4 antibodies recognized a restricted subset of O. volvulus antigens.
- Cross-reactive IgG4 antibodies were identified in serum pools from patients with other filarial infections.
Conclusions:
- IgG4 subclass antibody serology is more specific than total IgG for onchocerciasis diagnosis.
- Cross-reactivity among filariae limits the overall utility of IgG4 antibody assays for diagnosing onchocerciasis.