Comparison of adult somatic and excretory-secretory antigens in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for serodiagnosis of human infection with Paragonimus heterotremus.

Adult somatic antigen extract of Paragonimus heterotremus was compared with excretory-secretory (ES) antigen in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for serodiagnosis of human paragonimiasis. The absorbence values in ELISA using the adult somatic antigen were not significantly different from the values obtained using ES antigens (P greater than 0.05). The sensitivity of the ELISA using either antigen was 100%, but the specificity was 96% with somatic and 98% with ES antigens due to a cross reaction with fascioliasis sera. It appears that both somatic and ES antigens are effective antigens for use in serodiagnosis of human paragonimiasis heterotremus.