Hemagglutination test for the diagnosis of human neurocysticercosis: development of a stable reagent using homologous and heterologous antigens

• Published in: Revista do Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo 1997-01, Vol.39 (1), p.29-34
• Main Authors: Ferreira, A P, Vaz, A J, Nakamura, P M, Sasaki, A T, Ferreira, A W, Livramento, J A
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Antigens, Helminth - immunology; Cerebrospinal fluid; Cysticercosis - cerebrospinal fluid; Cysticercosis - diagnosis; Cysticercosis - immunology; Female; Hemagglutination test; Hemagglutination Tests - methods; Humans; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Neurocysticercosis; TROPICAL MEDICINE
• ISSN: 0036-4665; 1678-9946; 0036-4665; 1678-9946
• DOI: 10.1590/s0036-46651997000100006

A hemagglutination (HA) test was standardized using formalin- and tannin-treated gander red blood cells sensitized with a total salt extract of C. cellulosae (HA-Cc) and an antigenic extract of Cysticercus longicollis (HA-Cl) vesicular fluid. A total of 61 cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples were assayed, 41 from patients with neurocysticercosis and 20 from a control group which were, respectively, reactive and non-reactive to ELISA using C. cellulosae. The CSF samples from the control group did not react and 35 (85.4%) and 34 (82.9%) CSF samples from patients were reactive to the HA-Cc and HA-Cl tests, respectively. The reagents ready for use were stable up to 6 months when stored at 4 degrees C in 50% glycerol. The present results confirm that the reagent using Cysticercus longicollis stabilized with glycerol can be used as an alternative in the immunological diagnosis of neurocysticercosis.