Study of the Immunologic Value of Trichinella spiralis recombinant Protein Tsp-LE

Abstract

Background and Aim. Trichinellosis is a serious zoonotic disease, with frequent outbreaks reported across various regions in Europe and Asia. However, current diagnostic tests based on excretory-secretory antigens (ES-Ag) and somatic antigens (S-Ag) lack adequate specificity and sensitivity. Moreover, the production of these antigens is both labor-intensive and costly.
Materials and Methods. The immunodiagnostic potential of a recombinant 11 kDa serine protease protein, previously characterized in earlier studies was assessed. This study detected infection in Balb/c mice as early as 14 days post infection with T. spiralis larvae, yielding no false-positive results and an average infection level of 61±5.3 larvae per mouse.
Results. Comparative indirect ELISA analysis on mouse sera after the 3rd and 5th immunizations, alongside tests on S Ag and S-Ag using sera from infected rabbits and pigs, demonstrated the high diagnostic accuracy of the recombinant protein. The protein revealed strong specificity for trichinellosis detection, showing no cross reactivity with echinococcosis.
Conclusion. These findings support using rTsp-LE as a reliable component in developing ELISA test systems for trichinellosis detection.