Detection of antimicrofilarial ES antigen-antibody in immune complexes in Bancroftian filariasis by enzyme immunoassay.

An enzyme immunoassay using penicillinase conjugated to Wuchereria bancrofti microfilarial ES antigen has been developed to detect specific antibody in circulating immune complexes in Bancroftian filariasis. Immune complexes were prepared by 3% polyethylene glycol (PEG) precipitation. 44 sera belonging to different groups were tested. 16 of 19 clinical filarial and two of 16 endemic normal sera but none of the non-endemic normal sera showed the presence of antimicrofilarial ES antigen-antibody in immune complexes.