Detection of circulating anodic antigen before and after specific chemotherapy in experimental murine Schistosomiasis mansoni.

In two groups of mice infected with 60 (group I) and 120 (group II) Schistosoma mansoni cercariae, respectively, the effects of intensity and duration of infection, and of praziquantel therapy (curative vs subcurative dose) on the levels of circulating anodic antigen (CAA), were studied. CAA was measured in trichloracetic acid-treated serum samples with an avidin-biotin enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (AB-ELISA) using the monoclonal anti-CAA antibody. Total worm burdens, oogram patterns and ova counts/g liver and intestine were followed up. The lowest detectable level of CAA was about 1.0 ng/ml, and was positive with a worm load of 3-5/mouse. CAA levels became already detectable as early as 1-2 weeks post-infection (pi) before any parasitological parameter and showed a significant drop from the 11th-12th week pi onwards. A positive correlation was demonstrated between the CAA level and worm load. Following successful praziquantel therapy, CAA disappeared earlier than any of the other parameters studied.