Detection and quantification of circulating antigen in schistosomiasis by a monoclonal antibody. I. Specificity analysis of a monoclonal antibody with immunodiagnostic capacity.

Monoclonal antibodies were obtained after immunization of mice with Schistosoma mansoni excretory/secretory antigen, previously shown to contain the circulating cathodic (M) antigen. Among these, the 40:B1 monoclonal antibody proved to be specific for the schistosome genus and to detect only adult worm-derived antigens as shown both by immunoprecipitation and with a two-site immunoradiometric assay using the monoclonal as both the solid-phase and the labelled antibody. The two-site immunoradiometric assay allows a sensitive measurement (detection limit: 5 ng) of circulating schistosome antigen in blood and in urine from patients with schistosomiasis. The amount of circulating schistosome M antigen is correlated with schistosome egg excretion in stool.