IgG4 responses to antigens of adult Necator americanus : potential for use in large-scale epidemiological studies

• Published in: Bulletin of the World Health Organization Vol. 74; no. 4; pp. 381 - 386
• Main Authors: PALMER, D. R, BRADLEY, M, BUNDY, D. A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Genève Organisation mondiale de la santé 01-07-1996; World Health Organization
• Subjects: Ancylostomiases; Animals; Antibodies, Helminth - isolation & purification; Antigens; Biological and medical sciences; Biomarkers - blood; Diagnosis; Diseases caused by nematodes; Helminthic diseases; Hookworm disease; Humans; Immunoglobulin G; Immunoglobulin G - isolation & purification; Infections; Infectious diseases; Medical sciences; Necator americanus - immunology; Necatoriasis - epidemiology; Necatoriasis - immunology; Necatoriasis - parasitology; Parasites; Parasitic diseases; Physiological aspects; Prevalence; Tropical medicine; Zimbabwe - epidemiology; Zimbabwe; Africa; Human; Developing countries; IgG4; Medical screening; Epidemiology; Immunological method; Antigen; Infection; Helmintha; Nemathelminthia; Necator americanus; Diagnosis; Measurement method; Invertebrata; Nematoda; Public health
• ISSN: 0042-9686; 1564-0604

Described is an epidemiological investigation of hookworm infections in a rural community in Zimbabwe, where Necator americanus is the only human helminth species present. Among a cohort of 120 individuals the overall prevalence of infection was 78%. Intensity of infection was quantified both as egg counts (range: 0-2563 eggs per g of stool) and worm burden (range: 0-100 worms). Although both these measures provide useful quantitative data, they are tedious to determine in large-scale epidemiological studies and may present social and logistic difficulties. As an alternative screening method, we therefore investigated isotype-specific responses to adult worm antigens of N. americanus. The results show that specific IgG4 responses correlate positively and significantly with both measures of intensity and may be a useful marker of hookworm infection.