Antibody responses in forest and savanna onchocerciasis in Ivory Coast

Three foci of onchocerciasis transmission (two forest and one savanna, respectively) in the Republic of Ivory Coast were chosen for a comparative analysis of Onchocerca volvulus antigens and of patients' antibody responses. Clear differences between frequency and intensity of ocular pathology existed between the forest foci and the savanna focus. We found heterogeneity of SDS-PAGE-separated components of female worms with respect to the mobility of three protein bands of the 100 KD region and to the ability of an 80 KD band to bind horseradish peroxidase. These variations were clearly not associated with the degree of ocular pathology. No differences in the composition of worm antigens were detected by immunoblotting. A variable with a possible relation to ocular pathology was the antibody response of patients: individuals from the savanna focus, where a high degree of ocular pathology is observed, tended to have a stronger and more differentiated IgG antibody response against O. volvulus antigens than patients from the forest foci. However, no antigens specifically recognized by patients from either forest or savanna were detected.