A COMPARATIVE EPIDEMIOLOGIC STUDY OF SPECIFIC ANTIBODIES (IgM AND IgA) AND PARASITOLOGICAL FINDINGS IN AN ENDEMIC AREA OF LOW TRANSMISSION OF Schistosoma mansoni

• Main Authors: KANAMURA Herminia Yohko, DIAS Luiz Cândido de Souza, SILVA Rita Maria da, GLASSER Carmen Moreno, PATUCCI Rosa Maria de Jesus, VELLOSA Sylvia Amaral Gurgel, ANTUNES José Leopoldo Ferreira
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Universidade de São Paulo (USP) 1998
• Subjects: Schistosomiasis mansoni; Epidemiology; IgM; IgA; Immunodiagnosis; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Infectious and parasitic diseases; RC109-216; Arctic
• Online Access: https://doaj.org/article/014eebe4be954cae95b93dc1e0fcd027

The diagnostic potential of circulating IgM and IgA antibodies against Schistosoma mansoni gut-associated antigens detected by the immunofluorescence test (IFT) on adult worm paraffin sections was evaluated comparatively to the fecal parasitological method, for epidemiological purposes in low endemic areas for schistosomiasis. Blood samples were collected on filter paper from two groups of schoolchildren living in two different localities of the municipality of Itariri (São Paulo, Brazil) with different histories and prevalences of schistosomiasis. The parasitological and serological data were compared to those obtained for another group of schoolchildren from a non-endemic area for schistosomiasis. The results showed poor sensitivity of the parasitological method in detecting individuals with low worm burden and indicate the potential of the serological method as an important tool to be incorporated into schistosomiasis control and vigilance programs for determining the real situation of schistosomiasis in low endemic areas.