Vet. Res. 34 (2003) 435-443
DOI: 10.1051/vetres:2003016

Humoral response (IgG) of goats experimentally infected with Fasciola hepatica against cysteine proteinases of adult fluke

Antonio Ruiz^a, José Manuel Molina^a, Jorge González^a, Francisco Javier Martínez-Moreno^b, Pedro Nolasco Gutiérrez^b and Álvaro Martíínez-Moreno<sup>b

a</sup>  Department of Animal Pathology (Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Trasmontaña s/n 35416-Arucas, Las Palmas, Spain
^b  Department of Animal Health (Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Córdoba, Spain

(Received 8 November 2002, accepted 25 March 2003)

Abstract
The use of cysteine proteinases from Fasciola hepatica adult flukes for the serodiagnosis of caprine fasciolosis by means of an indirect ELISA test was studied. Two proteolytic fractions from adult fluke homogenates, with apparent molecular weights of 28 and 34 kDa (P28 and P34 respectively), were characterised as cysteine proteinases using azocasein assays and gelatin gel analysis. Both P28 and P34 fractions were electroluted and used as antigens in two different indirect ELISA tests. Serum IgG levels against P28 and P34 in goats given an experimental primary infection with 200 metacercariae or in goats given two experimental infections with 200 metacercariae were determined and compared with those observed in an uninfected control group. ELISA tests using both cysteine proteases showed a rapid and consistent detection of specific IgG in all experimentally infected goats. The IgG response to P28 was the first to be detected as early as 2-3 weeks post-infection and remained elevated throughout the experiment. The response to P34 was detected later (4-6 wpi) and disappeared in some animals at 18 wpi, while flukes were still present in the bile ducts. No significant differences were observed between the anti-P28 and anti-P34 IgG responses between animals receiving a primary or a challenge infection. The results of our study, although preliminary, are promising since the P28 ELISA described here may be a reliable method for the immunodiagnosis of F. hepatica infection in goats.

Key words: Fasciola hepatica / cysteine proteinases / IgG / ELISA / goat

Correspondence and reprints: José Manuel Molina Tel.: (34) 28451106; fax: (34) 28451142;
    e-mail: jmolina@dpat.ulpgc.es

© INRA, EDP Sciences 2003