Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
4371361 | Experimental Parasitology | 2009 | 5 Pages |
Abstract
A specific PCR assay for the detection of Schistosoma japonicum DNA in rabbit fecal and serum samples was developed by amplifying a 230-bp fragment from the sequence information of the clone G55A of the highly repetitive retrotransposon SjR2. The minimum amount of DNA detectable using the PCR assay was 0.8Â pg, and the expected PCR product was amplified when DNA equivalent of 1.1 egg from feces was used as template. In the meantime, serum anti-worm IgG was examined by ELISA. ELISA gave positive results at 4-6 weeks post-infection depending on the cercarial doses. The parasite eggs were detected in feces at 7 weeks post-infection. In contrast, S. japonicum DNA was detected in sera at first week post-infection, and it became negative at 10 weeks post-treatment, whereas the anti-worm IgG was still at high levels at 23 weeks post-treatment. These data demonstrated that the PCR assay established provides a potential tool for the early diagnosis and therapy evaluation for S. japonicum infection in humans.
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Authors
Chao-Ming Xia, Rong Rong, Zheng-Xian Lu, Chang-Jun Shi, Jing Xu, Hui-Qin Zhang, Wei Gong, Wei Luo,