Generation of Monospecific Polyclonal Antibodies to Recombinant Filarial Antigen rWbL2 and Evaluation of Its Immunodiagnostic Utility in Filariasis

ABSTRACTIntroductionLymphatic filariasis is a mosquito-borne disease affecting nearly 120 million people across the world. Filarial antigen detection is a good indicator for mapping new filarial cases and for evaluation of filarial elimination programs as compared with the low sensitivity associated with the direct evidence of microfilaria (Mf) in blood samples. To overcome low sensitivity and night-time blood collection method for parasite detection in filariasis cases, the sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was standardized for detection of circulating filarial antigen using monospecific polyclonal antibodies raised against recombinant filarial antigen rWbL2. In the present study, the specific antibodies raised against novel recombinant antigens rWbL2 were explored to develop suitable filarial antigen assays. It was possible to come out with a filarial antigen assay that could detect WbL2 or its equivalent antigen with 40% sensitivity (by using mouse anti-WbL2 antibody as capturing antibody), 60% sensitivity (using FSIgG human filarial serum immunoglobulin G as capturing antibody), and 100% specificity. These assays show promise to detect and monitor active filarial infection and thus prove to have potential as a useful diagnostic and monitoring tool in the elimination program.How to cite this articleGandhe MB, Gandhe SM. Generation of Monospecific Polyclonal Antibodies to Recombinant Filarial Antigen rWbL2 and Evaluation of Its Immunodiagnostic Utility in Filariasis. Indian J Med Biochem 2017;21(2):117-123.